Lakers Facing Uphill Battle Without Doncic and Reaves

JJ Redick says the team's stars will remain out indefinitely for the first round of the playoffs.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 8:05pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented basketball game, with sharp, overlapping shapes and planes representing the action on the court.The Lakers' playoff hopes rest on the uncertain returns of injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs, but they will be shorthanded with stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves dealing with injuries that are expected to keep them out for several weeks. Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that both players remain out indefinitely, and the team will not provide a concrete update this week.

Why it matters

The Lakers' chances of advancing in the playoffs will be severely diminished without their two best players. Doncic and Reaves are crucial to the team's success, and their extended absences could make it very difficult for the Lakers to compete against a tough Rockets squad led by Kevin Durant.

The details

Redick stated that Doncic and Reaves are "out indefinitely" and the team will not provide an update on their status this week. This leaves a lot of uncertainty around whether the two stars will be able to return at any point during the first-round series against the Rockets.

  • The Lakers will face the Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday, April 15, 2026.

The players

Luka Doncic

A star guard for the Los Angeles Lakers who is dealing with an injury that is expected to keep him out for several weeks.

Austin Reaves

A talented young guard for the Los Angeles Lakers who is also injured and expected to miss time in the first round of the playoffs.

JJ Redick

The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers who revealed the injury statuses of Doncic and Reaves.

Kevin Durant

The star player for the Houston Rockets, who the Lakers will face in the first round of the playoffs.

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What they’re saying

“They're out indefinitely. I'm not going to have an update for you this week. They're out indefinitely.”

— JJ Redick, Head Coach, Los Angeles Lakers

What’s next

The Lakers will need to find a way to compete against the Rockets without their two best players. They will likely need strong performances from their remaining healthy players, as well as potential contributions from role players, in order to have a chance of advancing to the next round of the playoffs.

The takeaway

The Lakers' playoff hopes have taken a major hit with the injuries to Doncic and Reaves. Their extended absences will make it extremely challenging for the team to overcome a talented Rockets squad in the first round, and the Lakers' championship aspirations may be in jeopardy if their stars cannot return at some point during the series.