Stephen A. Smith Predicts Lakers' Playoff Hopes Without Doncic, Reaves

ESPN analyst believes Lakers will be 'going home in April' without injured stars.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 11:24pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a basketball game, with sharp planes of color and form representing the Lakers' struggle to overcome key injuries.A cubist interpretation of the Lakers' playoff hopes without Doncic and Reaves, fractured and uncertain.Denver Today

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith believes the Los Angeles Lakers have 'zero chance' of making a deep playoff run without injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Smith said the Lakers 'couldn't stop a cold' in their recent loss to the Dallas Mavericks and will be 'going home in April' unless Doncic and Reaves can return by the middle of the first round.

Why it matters

The Lakers' playoff hopes are in jeopardy with the injuries to Doncic and Reaves, two of their key players. Smith's harsh assessment highlights the team's struggles on defense and their reliance on the injured stars to make a postseason push.

The details

Doncic suffered a hamstring injury, while Reaves hurt his oblique in the Lakers' blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Without their two injured starters, Smith believes the Lakers have no chance of advancing past the first round, saying they 'couldn't stop a cold' in their recent defeat.

  • On April 6, Stephen A. Smith made his comments on ESPN's First Take.
  • The Lakers' next game is on April 7 at home against the Thunder.

The players

Luka Doncic

All-Star forward for the Los Angeles Lakers who suffered a hamstring injury.

Austin Reaves

Lakers guard who injured his oblique in the same game as Doncic.

LeBron James

Lakers superstar who will need to step up with Doncic and Reaves out.

Deandre Ayton

Lakers center who will need to increase his scoring production.

Luke Kennard

Lakers guard who will be asked to contribute more offensively.

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What they’re saying

“'Without Luka and without AR, the Lakers are going home in April. Ladies and gentlemen, they couldn't stop a cold against the Dallas Mavericks. They couldn't stop anybody. And when AR and Luka Doncic are looking like better defenders than the people you had on the floor, it ain't nowhere to go from there.'”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Analyst

“'I think that in order for the Lakers to have any shot, they both have to be back somewhere midway through the first round in order for the Lakers to pull this off. Otherwise, the Lakers — I'm giving them zero. I repeat, zero chance of getting out of the first round, which means this season ends this month.'”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Analyst

What’s next

The Lakers will look to bounce back in their next game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 7. They will need strong performances from LeBron James, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard, and Rui Hachimura to overcome the loss of Doncic and Reaves.

The takeaway

Stephen A. Smith's harsh assessment of the Lakers' playoff chances without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves highlights the team's defensive struggles and heavy reliance on their injured stars. The Lakers will need to find a way to win without their two key players if they hope to make a deep postseason run.