Luka Doncic, after consulting with the Los Angeles Lakers medical staff and his own doctors, will head to Europe for specialized treatment on his Grade 2 left hamstring strain in an effort to speed up his return to the court. Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, shared the news with Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN following the Los Angeles Lakers 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks – the same night Cooper Flagg dropped 45 points for Dallas.

Doncic could cut recovery time to make the NBA Playoffs

Typical recovery timelines for a Grade 2 hamstring injury would sideline Doncic for approximately 4-5 weeks, likely ruling him out for the entire first round of the NBA Playoffs and possibly part of the second.

To return in time for the opening round, the former Real Madrid Baloncesto star would need to cut that recovery timeline in half – a risky but potentially decisive move.

High risk, high stakes for the Lakers

The major concern is that hamstring injuries are notoriously difficult to manage, and rushing recovery could lead to setbacks or long-term complications.

The situation becomes even more complicated for the Lakers following the injury to Austin Reaves, further weakening the roster at a critical point in the NBA season.