The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but uncertainty surrounds the availability of two key players, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who are currently sidelined with injuries. Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided an update following the team's first practice in preparation for the postseason, revealing that both players remain out indefinitely, with no definitive timeline for their return.
Reaves is recovering from a Grade 2 left oblique strain he sustained during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. Though he was present at the Lakers' practice facility and participated in some shooting drills while wearing slide sandals, his rehabilitation is expected to take between four to six weeks, according to sources cited by ESPN's Shams Charania. This suggests that Reaves may not be ready for the start of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic is currently in Spain receiving treatment for a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. Doncic has undergone multiple injections as part of his recovery and is scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Friday, just in time to join the team for Game 1 of the series against the Rockets, which is set for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Despite the injury, there is hope that Doncic will be able to suit up for the opening game, though his status remains uncertain.
The Lakers will lean on the leadership and talent of LeBron James, who recently earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors after helping the team close out the regular season with a strong 3-1 record, despite injuries to key backcourt players. However, Coach Redick emphasized that the team's strategy will not revolve solely around James.
"I do think we have other options [other than] just him having the ball and going against a set defense every single possession," Redick said, explaining that the Lakers plan to incorporate various offensive actions depending on Houston's lineups and defensive schemes. This approach aims to diversify the team's attack and avoid predictability.
After giving the team an off day on Monday, Redick outlined the week's preparation schedule leading up to the series opener. Tuesday's practice focused on the Lakers themselves, while Wednesday will introduce the team to the Rockets' key players. Among Houston's notable stars are Kevin Durant, the NBA's fifth all-time leading scorer; All-Star big man Alperen Sengun; and Amen Thompson, a 6-foot-7 wing player renowned for his athleticism. The coaching staff will then conduct a detailed scout on Thursday and reinforce that scouting report on Friday to ensure the team is fully prepared.
Redick expressed confidence that by Saturday, the Lakers will be ready to compete. He also noted that Tuesday's practice was more active and rigorous than the one leading up to last year's first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which ended in a 117-95 loss for Los Angeles. Using tracking data to monitor player workload, accelerations, and jumps, Redick said the team met its desired practice intensity.
One critical area of focus during practice was rebounding and boxing out, highlighted by a drill introduced specifically to prepare the Lakers for Houston's strength on the boards. The Rockets led the league in total rebounds per game (48.1) and offensive rebounds per game (15.0) during the regular season, while the Lakers ranked 27th in that category. Redick stressed the importance of fundamentals such as ball security and rebounding in determining the outcome of the series.
"Taking care of the basketball and boxing out, that's the series," Redick said. "Scheme, personnel, obviously important, but if we don't take care of the ball and we don't box out, we're not going to win the series."
Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers' backup center who returned to practice after missing the past four games due to a sore left foot, echoed this sentiment. Hayes remarked that the box-out drill reminded him of his college days at the University of Texas and acknowledged the challenge posed by Houston's frontcourt, particularly Clint Capela and other big men who are dominant on the glass.
"I know I can impact the game with my energy: running, getting rebounds, boxing guys out," Hayes said. "Especially Clint [Capela] and the bigs, I know they're on the glass heavy, so just making sure I keep them off and doing whatever the team needs me to do."
With the playoffs imminent, the Lakers are balancing the urgency of preparing their lineup against the reality of injuries to key players. The potential return of Luka Doncic could be a significant boost, but the team is also focused on executing a disciplined, team-oriented game plan that emphasizes fundamentals and leverages the talents of its healthy roster members, including LeBron James and Jaxson Hayes.
As the Lakers continue their preparation through the week, they will study the Rockets' dynamic mix of veteran scoring and youthful athleticism, aiming to counter Houston's strengths while exploiting any vulnerabilities. The outcome of this first-round matchup will likely hinge on the Lakers' ability to rebound effectively, maintain possession, and adapt strategically to the Rockets' versatile lineup.
The series opener on Saturday will mark the first test of how well the Lakers have adjusted and whether their injured stars can return to make an impact. Until then, the team remains focused on preparation and fundamentals, with Coach Redick confident that the squad is "good to go" by game time.