Luka’s hamstring update

Luka Dončić’s season didn’t end with a dramatic playoff fall. It ended in a 139-96 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, when he hurt his left hamstring and later got diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain. (sports.yahoo.com, espn.com) A Grade 2 strain is not a cramp and not a full tear. It usually means the muscle fibers are partly torn, which is why ESPN reported a three-to-six week timetable instead of a day-to-day absence. (espn.com, sports.yahoo.com) Dončić is not staying in Los Angeles for standard rehab. After consulting Lakers doctors and his own medical team, he went to Spain for specialized treatment, including an injection intended to promote healing and speed up his return. (espn.com, sports.yahoo.com) The Lakers have already ruled him out for the rest of the regular season. Coach J.J. Redick said this week that the hope is not to get him back for one of the last games in April, but to have him available in some form once the playoffs begin. (sports.yahoo.com, sports.yahoo.com) That “some form” matters. Redick said the team is hopeful Dončić could at least be on the bench when the postseason opens, which is a long way from saying he will be ready to play full minutes in a playoff game. (sports.yahoo.com) The timing is brutal because the regular season ends on Sunday, April 12, and the Play-In Tournament starts on Tuesday, April 14. A three-to-six week recovery window from an April 2 injury pushes the realistic target into the playoffs, not the final week of the schedule. (sports.yahoo.com, espn.com) Los Angeles at least bought itself some breathing room on Thursday night. The Lakers beat Golden State 119-103 behind 26 points and 11 assists from LeBron James, and ESPN’s standings showed Los Angeles sitting fourth in the Western Conference at 50-29. (apnews.com, espn.com) The bigger problem is that Dončić is not the only starter missing. Austin Reaves was also ruled out for the rest of the regular season with a Grade 2 oblique strain, leaving the Lakers without their starting backcourt right as the bracket is being set. (sports.yahoo.com, sports.yahoo.com) So the Lakers are trying to do two things at once over the next few days. They need to hold their playoff position with LeBron James carrying the offense now, while hoping the trip to Spain gives Dončić a chance to rejoin the team before the first round is too far gone. (apnews.com, sports.yahoo.com, espn.com)