Luka Doncic has been sidelined since April 2 with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. He flew to Madrid shortly after for specialized stem cell treatment, with the Los Angeles Lakers set to open the playoffs against the Houston Rockets on April 18.
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Luka Doncic has been sidelined since April 2 with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. He flew to Madrid shortly after for specialized stem cell treatment, with the Los Angeles Lakers set to open the playoffs against the Houston Rockets on April 18.
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Here is a running tracker of every update on his injury, rehab timeline, and return status.
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Here is a running tracker of every update on his injury, rehab timeline, and return status.
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April 16
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April 16
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After Lakers practice on Thursday, head coach JJ Redick officially ruled out Doncic and Reaves for Game 1 of the team's first-round series against the Rockets, according to Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com.
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After Lakers practice on Thursday, head coach JJ Redick officially ruled out Doncic and Reaves for Game 1 of the team’s first-round series against the Rockets, according to Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com.
JJ Redick says everyone will be available for Game 1 outside of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) April 16, 2026
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Slovenian outlet Ekipa has the latest on Doncic's return to Los Angeles.
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Slovenian outlet Ekipa has the latest on Doncic’s return to Los Angeles.
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"Luka Dončić will return to Los Angeles on Friday," the outlet reported.
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“Luka DonÄić will return to Los Angeles on Friday,” the outlet reported.
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But he is making one stop before heading back.
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But he is making one stop before heading back.
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"Before Luka returns to the US, he will watch the match between his beloved clubs in Madrid. Fate (well, the calendar of Europe's strongest club competition) has decreed that Real Madrid and Red Star Belgrade will face each other in the final round of the Euroleague regular season in the Spanish capital," Ekipa wrote.
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“Before Luka returns to the US, he will watch the match between his beloved clubs in Madrid. Fate (well, the calendar of Europe’s strongest club competition) has decreed that Real Madrid and Red Star Belgrade will face each other in the final round of the Euroleague regular season in the Spanish capital,” Ekipa wrote.
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Real Madrid is where Doncic grew up as a player. Red Star Belgrade is a club he has supported since childhood, a love passed down from his father, Sasa Doncic.
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Real Madrid is where Doncic grew up as a player. Red Star Belgrade is a club he has supported since childhood, a love passed down from his father, Sasa Doncic.
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"Luka will therefore be able to watch his two great loves live before returning to Los Angeles, and the match between Real and Red Star will be watched by many of the greatest tennis players of all time, another big Red Star fan, Serb Novak Djokovic," Ekipa added.
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“Luka will therefore be able to watch his two great loves live before returning to Los Angeles, and the match between Real and Red Star will be watched by many of the greatest tennis players of all time, another big Red Star fan, Serb Novak Djokovic,” Ekipa added.
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April 14
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April 14
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Lakers coach JJ Redick spoke to the media following practice and gave no new information on Doncic's availability.
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Lakers coach JJ Redick spoke to the media following practice and gave no new information on Doncic’s availability.
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Redick said, "I'm not going to have an update for you this week. They're out indefinitely."
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Redick said, “I’m not going to have an update for you this week. They’re out indefinitely.”
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The "they" includes Austin Reaves, who is also sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain suffered in the same game as Doncic.
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The “they” includes Austin Reaves, who is also sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain suffered in the same game as Doncic.
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April 13
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April 13
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ESPN's Shams Charania, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, gave an update on Doncic's time in Spain.
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ESPN’s Shams Charania, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, gave an update on Doncic’s time in Spain.
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"He underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring to see if he can promote quick healing. My understanding is he'll be back in the States on Tuesday, and they're going to reevaluate him," Charania said.
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“He underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring to see if he can promote quick healing. My understanding is he’ll be back in the States on Tuesday, and they’re going to reevaluate him,” Charania said.
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Based on the latest Ekipa report, that Tuesday return did not materialize, with Friday now the expected date.
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Based on the latest Ekipa report, that Tuesday return did not materialize, with Friday now the expected date.
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How Luka Doncic's Lakers Hamstring Injury Happened
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How Luka Doncic’s Lakers Hamstring Injury Happened
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The injury goes back to April 2, when the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic tweaked his left hamstring in the first half and aggravated it in the third quarter before leaving the game in visible pain. The Lakers confirmed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain shortly after and ruled him out for the rest of the regular season.
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The injury goes back to April 2, when the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic tweaked his left hamstring in the first half and aggravated it in the third quarter before leaving the game in visible pain. The Lakers confirmed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain shortly after and ruled him out for the rest of the regular season.
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Rather than staying in Los Angeles, Doncic flew to Madrid to seek specialized treatment. He worked under Dr. Javier Barrio, a sports doctor connected to Real Madrid, receiving stem cell-based therapy on the hamstring.
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Rather than staying in Los Angeles, Doncic flew to Madrid to seek specialized treatment. He worked under Dr. Javier Barrio, a sports doctor connected to Real Madrid, receiving stem cell-based therapy on the hamstring.
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After completing the first round of treatment, Doncic made a short trip to Ljubljana, Slovenia, to visit his two daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, whom he had not seen in several months. The visit was as important for his mental well-being as for his physical recovery.
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After completing the first round of treatment, Doncic made a short trip to Ljubljana, Slovenia, to visit his two daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, whom he had not seen in several months. The visit was as important for his mental well-being as for his physical recovery.
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A Grade 2 hamstring strain typically requires four to six weeks of recovery. Even with the aggressive treatment approach, Doncic is not expected to play in the first round against Houston.
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A Grade 2 hamstring strain typically requires four to six weeks of recovery. Even with the aggressive treatment approach, Doncic is not expected to play in the first round against Houston.
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