Lakers Luka Doncic Back in LA After Injury Treatment Ahead of Playoffs
The Los Angeles Lakers have been waiting for this for two weeks. Luka Doncic, who has been rehabbing a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Spain, made it back to Los Angeles on April 17, just before the team's playoff opener against the Houston Rockets.
Writing for The California Post, Michael Duarte wrote: "After nearly two weeks in Europe, the prodigal son has returned. Luka Doncic returned to Los Angeles on Friday on the eve of the Lakers' first-round playoff series against the Rockets."
Exclusive photos of Luka Doncic returning to Los Angeles after two weeks in Europe https://t.co/t5ysSQbaBGpic.twitter.com/qIDIy10pQr
- New York Post (@nypost) April 18, 2026
Instead of staying in LA for rehab, Doncic flew to Madrid to work under Dr. Javier Barrio, a sports doctor connected to Real Madrid, receiving stem cell-based therapy on the hamstring.
Duarte added: "By Friday afternoon, that journey ended where it matters most - home. The California Post spotted Doncic arriving at his Manhattan Beach residence about 5:30 p.m. The Pacific breeze replacing European air, with the playoffs now less than 24 hours away. About an hour after arriving home, Doncic left on an e-bike with his father."
In those weeks in rehab, Doncic also took a short break mid-trip to fly to Ljubljana and spend time with his two daughters before returning to Madrid for a second round of treatment.
While back in Madrid, Doncic attended a EuroLeague game between Real Madrid and Red Star Belgrade alongside his close friend Novak Djokovic. The two sat courtside at the Movistar Arena, the same arena where Doncic spent his teenage years as a Real Madrid player, and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Can Luka Doncic Return for the Lakers Against the Rockets
Being back home is a good sign, but it does not mean Doncic is close to playing. JJ Redick has already said both Doncic and Austin Reaves are out indefinitely, with no update expected this week. Game 1 against Houston is Saturday, and neither will be available.
A typical Grade 2 hamstring strain takes four to six weeks to heal. Doncic went to Spain specifically to try and speed that up. Now that he is back in LA, the Lakers' medical staff will reevaluate him, and that assessment should give the team a much clearer picture of where his recovery actually stands.
This puts the pressure on LeBron James and the rest of the roster right now. Redick has said the team will not lean solely on the 41-year-old, instead looking for a shared offensive approach, but holding against Houston without their two best players is a tall order.
Doncic is back on US soil, and that alone matters. Whether he suits up at any point this series depends on how his body responds over the next few weeks and whether the Lakers give him a series worth coming back for.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/lakers/onsi as Lakers Luka Doncic Back in LA After Injury Treatment Ahead of Playoffs.
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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 3:00 AM.