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With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out to start their postseason run, the Lakers won’t have many believers.
The team has relied on LeBron James, who has had some remarkable games and helped LA earn a top-four seed in the West. Still, those victories were against play-in teams like
the Warriors and Suns, who were resting players as their postseason positions in the West were solidified.
Now that the Lakers are playing a legitimate team trying to win, stacking victories won’t be easy.
In our national SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which top-four seed had the best chance to be knocked out of the first round and the Lakers were the clear winner.
No other team is dealing with injuries as severe as the Lakers. With their top two players out, generating enough offense to keep up with the best in the West will be an uphill battle for the purple and gold.
The good news is that Reaves and Dončić are not ruled out for the playoffs. In fact, Luka has spent time in Spain working to accelerate the recovery of his hamstring strain. While Dončić is doing everything possible to get better and his attempt to return is commendable, it can also be concerning.
He’s dealt with hamstring injuries throughout his career, including earlier this season. The last thing anyone wants is for him to return too soon and make his injury worse.
So, we also asked Lakers fans if they were worried or excited about Dončić potentially returning this postseason.
The Lakers were in a similar situation with Anthony Davis back in 2021. He got hurt in the middle of their first round matchup against the Suns with a groin strain. AD pushed himself and came back for Game 6. However, he was very hobbled and couldn’t even complete the first quarter, ending his night early as the Lakers were eliminated.
A scenario where the Lakers not only lose in the first round but Luka gets even more injured would be awful.
The Lakers’ medical staff will have to be 100% certain Luka’s good to go and not be influenced by what the first round series win total looks like. If Luka can play great, but there’s no need to push like a title is on the line. Dončić is the future of this franchise, and his health shouldn’t be jeopardized for minimal benefit in the present.
For now, it’s all about recovery for Luka as the postseason begins and we see if he’ll get a chance to play.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
