When is Luka Doncic coming back? Injury update for Thunder-Lakers Game 3
· Yahoo Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers aren't getting Luka Doncic back as they head back home down 0-2 in their conference semifinal series with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Doncic has been out since April 2 with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, which he suffered against the Thunder during the final days of the regular season.
The Lakers have been without their leading scorer all throughout the playoffs.
Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points and 8.3 assists per game in the 2025-26 regular season, was ruled out of Game 3 in Los Angeles against the Thunder as he continues to nurse the injury and heal, according to the league's injury report as of 1 a.m. ET Saturday.
He missed the entire first round, where the Lakers handled the Houston Rockets in six games.
Facing the defending champs, they need Doncic.
"It's very frustrating," Doncic said after a May 6 practice. "I hope people understand how frustrating it is. All I want to do is play basketball, especially at this time. It's the best time to play basketball. It's very frustrating. To see what my team is doing, I'm very proud of them, but it's been very tough."
Doncic was initially told there would be an eight-week healing period. It is currently the end of week five. If Doncic was to return on the given timeline, he wouldn't play until the conference finals.
"I'm just doing everything I can," Doncic said Wednesday. "Every day, I'm doing stuff I'm supposed to do. My doctor said eight weeks at the beginning of the first MRI, so just going day-by-day. I feel better every day."
Doncic has been running and participating in shootaround, but is nowhere near ready to play. He has approximately three weeks, according to his doctor's timeline.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic injury update, status for Thunder vs Lakers Game 3