Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The second round series between the Thunder and the Lakers begin tonight with health as a major storyline.
- Austin Reaves is back for the Lakers but Luka Dončić is likely out, as is Jalen Williams for the Thunder.
- The Lakers faces a tough challenge against a deep, championship-caliber opponent, and the injury status of Dončić will shape the series' outlook
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers making the trip to Oklahoma City to take on the reigning champion Thunder in Game 1 of their second-round series. The Thunder may not be invincible but they have certainly looked it so far, as the only team to sweep through the first round.
While storylines abound in both series taking place on Tuesday, one of the most prominent centers on the health of Lakers superstar Luka Dončić.
Will Luka Dončić be available against the Thunder?
As of Tuesday morning, Dončić is officially listed as "out" for Game 1 as he continues to recovery from a left hamstring strain. The 27-year-old standout missed the entire series against the Houston Rockets, last appearing on an NBA court during a road loss to the Thunder on April 2. The official injury report certainly tells the story for Tuesday's series opener, but there is understandable intrigue on just how quickly Dončić might be able to return.
Earlier this week, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania checked with the Inside The NBA crew to offer injury updates, and he pointed to the reality that the Lakers are "evaluating Dončić on a week-to-week basis." Beyond that, a source referenced a "slow path" on Dončić's recovery, with Shams saying that Dončić is not "full-fledged running" or doing "full-contact workouts" at this juncture.
The Lakers were able to pull off the first round upset even with Dončić sidelined and Austin Reaves missing most of the series. However, the matchup with Oklahoma City presents a far more significant challenge for Los Angeles. That is illustrated in the Thunder entering Game 1 as 15.5-point betting favorites at home and, while that number would undoubtedly shrink in the event of a Dončić return, Oklahoma City still retains the best overall profile of any NBA team this season.
In fact, the Thunder finished with a league-best 64 wins before sweeping through a first round series against the Phoenix Suns. Oklahoma City is also missing standout wing Jalen Williams, but the Thunder are (very) deep and led by a clear tier-1 superstar in MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
On the Lakers side, Los Angeles does have real firepower with Reaves and LeBron James. James was able to turn the clock back in the first round, averaging 23.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game in the upset over Houston. Still, Dončić is the team's best offensive player by a significant margin, and it is somewhat difficult to see the Lakers challenging the Thunder in the overall series unless he can return.
Los Angeles Lakers projected starting lineup and depth chart without Luka Dončić
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Marcus Smart | PG | Luke Kennard |
Austin Reaves | SG | Luke Kennard |
Rui Hachimura | SF | Jake LaRavia |
LeBron James | PF | Jarred Vanderbilt |
Deandre Ayton | C | Jaxson Hayes |
Luke Kennard has moved back to the bench with the return of Reaves but he'll likely continue to play a huge role for the Lakers, who desperately need his shooting and complementary playmaking. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebonds and 3.0 assists per game in the first round, shooting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc. And even replicating those numbers might not be enough for the Lakers.
At present, there is not an official update from the Lakers beyond the injury report for Game 1. From a scheduling perspective, Game 2 arrives on Thursday in Oklahoma City and, unlike in some series, there is not an extra day between games as the series shifts to Los Angeles. Game 3 will take place on Saturday, with Game 4 coming up on Monday, May 11.
Doncic's status will be an hour-by-hour talking point, with the superstar undoubtedly receiving the maximum amount of treatment to return as quickly as possible. Still, muscle injuries are notoriously tricky and, in the grand scheme, the Lakers will want to be careful with their franchise player in an effort to prioritize his long-term health and availability.
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