Lakers Get Bad News on Doncic Before Rockets Showdown
The Lakers got the update nobody wanted. After running his team through its first playoff prep practice on Tuesday, coach JJ Redick made it official: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both out indefinitely. No timeline. No estimates. Just "I'm not going to have an update for you this week," from Redick himself.
The Injury Report Gets Messier
Reaves is dealing with a Grade 2 left oblique strain he picked up April 2 against the Thunder. The good news? He was at the facility shooting free throws after practice with teammates, though he was wearing slide sandals because he's clearly still tender. ESPN's Shams Charania reported his rehab is expected to take 4-6 weeks, which basically means the Lakers are looking at life without their backcourt for a while.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiDoncic is in Spain getting multiple injections on his Grade 2 left hamstring strain. But here's the thing: sources told ESPN he'll fly back to L.A. on Friday to join the team for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Houston Rockets on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. So he's coming back, just maybe not at full strength.
LeBron's the Plan, But There's More to It
LeBron James earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors after helping the Lakers finish the regular season 3-1 without their best guards. He'll be in the lineup Saturday, but Redick isn't leaning entirely on the 23-year veteran to carry them through. "I do think we have other options other than just him having the ball and going against a set defense every single possession," Redick said. "We'll look to mix in different actions depending on their lineups and their coverages."
The Rockets bring serious firepower: Kevin Durant, the NBA's fifth all-time leading scorer; All-Star big man Alperen Sengun; and 6-7 wing Amen Thompson, one of the most athletic players in the league. Redick gave his team Monday off, then mapped out the rest of the week. Tuesday was about internal work. Wednesday, they'll dive into Houston's personnel. Thursday and Friday are scout work. By Saturday tip-off, the Lakers better be ready.
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