DALLAS — Luka Doncic to Seek Treatment in Europe for Hamstring Injury

Lakers star Luka Doncic is set to travel to Europe for specialized treatment on a torn left hamstring, aiming to get back on the court as quickly as possible, according to comments from his agent on Sunday night.

Bill Duffy, Doncic’s agent from WME Basketball, shared the news shortly after the Lakers faced the Mavericks, losing 134-128. It was the Lakers’ first game since Doncic and fellow guard Austin Reaves sustained injuries in a recent game against the Thunder.

During the third quarter of that game, Doncic hurt his hamstring, and a subsequent MRI on Friday confirmed he has a Grade 2 strain, which usually requires three to six weeks for recovery.

Data compiled by InStreetClothes, an NBA injury tracker managed by trainer Jeff Stotts, suggests that typically, players with this kind of injury miss about 35 days of play.

As of now, the Lakers have not provided any updates regarding Doncic’s expected return.

If he adheres to the 35-day recovery estimate, it would mean he likely misses the entire first round of the playoffs, even if it stretches to seven games.

“All I know is he’s committed to doing whatever it takes to return,” said coach JJ Reddick. “I spoke with him on Friday and again on Saturday and Sunday. He’s willing to go through whatever processes are necessary to come back, and our job is to keep the season going so both he and Austin can return.”

Redick mentioned that their internal medical data did not indicate any overuse issues prior to the injuries sustained by Doncic or Reaves, who is also recovering from a Grade 2 left oblique strain.

Interestingly, both players were injured during the first quarter of the game, but they continued playing until Doncic left with his injury and Reaves exited from the bench.

“In coaching, you act based on the information at hand,” Redick explained. “[Reaves] was medically cleared. When Austin came back, I thought he might have an injury. They assured me he was healed. The team wanted to push through the second half, and we had discussions at halftime. I think with these two, managing their workload is definitely a part of the equation.”

“We also depend on tracking data and evaluate it after each game. A few times this season, their baseline has shown deviations from what we typically see. Leading up to the injury, however, nothing suggested they were in any kind of danger,” he added.