Doncic directing his teammates during the first game against the Thunder
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images via Reuters
Luka Doncic (27), the superstar—with due respect to LeBron James—of the Los Angeles Lakers, stated on Wednesday that he is doing “everything possible” to recover from his injury, but did not clarify whether he would be able to compete in the current playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Slovenian, the NBA’s leading scorer this season (averaging 33.5 points), spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since suffering a muscle injury on April 2.
“I am doing everything possible” to return, Doncic said, a day after the Lakers lost the first game of the Western Conference semifinals to the Thunder by a decisive 108-90.
“The doctors told me I would be out for eight weeks after the first MRI. So I’m taking it day by day, and each day I feel a little better,” he stated.
“It’s hard for me because I’ve come back too soon from injuries before, and it wasn’t the best. This is the first time I’ve had this injury. It’s different, and I have to be very cautious,” Doncic said of his muscle issue, a grade two hamstring strain.
With veteran LeBron James taking the lead, the Lakers managed to get past the first round against the Houston Rockets (4-2), but their hopes of defeating the defending champion Thunder are extremely low without Doncic on the floor.
“I don’t know if people realize how frustrating this is,” the Slovenian said. “I just want to play basketball, especially at this time of year—it’s the best time to play. It’s frustrating to just watch my team, but I’m very proud of them.”
Despite the Lakers’ inferior performance on Tuesday against Oklahoma City, head coach JJ Redick emphasized that they will not take risks with Doncic’s physical condition to speed up his return.
“It’s very simple. When he’s ready to play, he should play. The athlete needs to be confident,” Redick stressed.
