Luka Doncic out for start of second round. When will Lakers star return?

Luka Doncic is still building towards a return, but it won’t come in time for Game 1.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Doncic for the start of their second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on “Inside the NBA” on Sunday.

Charania reports the Lakers are evaluating Doncic on a week-to-week basis and is currently on a “slow path” in his recovery from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined for the past month.

Doncic returned to the practice floor during the Lakers’ first round series, but has yet to progress to 3-on-3 or 5-on-5.

“He’s doing more and more on the court,” Charania reported. “But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts.”

Doncic has missed 11 games since straining his left hamstring against Oklahoma City on April 2. The Lakers have gone 7-4 in that span but ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, winning the series in six games.

The odds are stacked against LA yet again with a matchup against the defending NBA champion Thunder, who won a league-best 64 games in the regular season. The absence of Jalen Williams makes things slightly less lopsided, especially if the Lakers keep producing total team efforts with contributions from Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura.

Make no mistake, though: Doncic, who led the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game and finished third in assists with 8.3 per game, will be needed this series. It just remains to be seen when – or if – he’ll be back in time.

1 / 58

Luka Dončić carries the physical toll of a demanding season

Luka Dončić carried a heavy workload throughout the season, often playing through physical challenges as the wear of the schedule accumulated.

Now sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, these images reflect moments when the strain of the year was visible as Dončić worked through injuries while leading his team.

Above, Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench at the end of the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026, in Miami, Florida.

1 / 58

Luka Dončić carries the physical toll of a demanding season

Luka Dončić carried a heavy workload throughout the season, often playing through physical challenges as the wear of the schedule accumulated.

Now sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, these images reflect moments when the strain of the year was visible as Dončić worked through injuries while leading his team.

Above, Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench at the end of the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026, in Miami, Florida.