Lakers’ Luka Doncic to seek treatment in Europe in bid to fast-track return

In an attempt to move up his timeline for a return, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will seek specialized treatment for his Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Europe, his representation told ESPN.

Doncic sustained the injury in a 139-96 loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday, April 2. The team announced Friday after an MRI that he will miss at least the remainder of the regular season.

The typical recovery timeline for a Grade 2 hamstring strain is a month. With one week left in the regular season, that would keep the league’s leading scorer (33.5 points per game) and Los Angeles’ leader in assists (8.3) and steals (1.6) out for potentially the entire first-round playoff series.

The Lakers will also be without Austin Reaves (23.3 ppg, 5.5 apg) for at least the remainder of the regular season after he sustained a Grade 2 left oblique injury. He’ll be sidelined four to six weeks, ESPN reported.

With four regular-season games left for each team, Los Angeles (50-28) has the same record as Denver but holds the tiebreaker for the No. 3 seed. If it stays there, it would almost certainly open vs. Minnesota.

However, Los Angeles could fall to fourth or even fifth — which would cost the team home-court advantage — in the final week.

The Lakers lost their first game without Doncic and Reaves Sunday at Dallas. They’ll host Oklahoma City, play at Golden State, and then close the regular season at home versus Phoenix and Utah. – Rappler.com