The Los Angeles Lakers are expecting to be without star guards Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves for their first-round NBA playoff series versus the Houston Rockets.
Dončić will return to the United States this week and be re-evaluated by team doctors after receiving treatment overseas for his strained left hamstring, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
“He spent the last week in Spain, from my understanding,” Charania said on Monday’s “The Pat McAfee Show.” “He underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring to see if it could promote quick healing. Can it expedite a return?”
“My understanding is that he’ll be back in the states on Tuesday and they’re gonna re-evaluate him,” he added.
Dončić reportedly went to Spain for treatment on what was diagnosed as a Grade 2 hamstring strain just over a week ago.
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The fourth-seeded Lakers begin their first-round NBA playoff series versus the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday night. Times for the remaining games of the series have yet to be determined.
During the regular season, the Lakers won two of their three matchups with the Rockets. Dončić averaged 33.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7 assists, and hit 38% of his 3-pointers in those three games. Reaves averaged 13.7 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 19% from long range.
That will leave the scoring burden to LeBron James, who averaged 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists versus Houston in their regular-season meetings.
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