{"id":711426,"date":"2026-04-16T00:42:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T00:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/711426\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T00:42:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T00:42:19","slug":"lakers-playoff-schedule-gives-more-healing-time-for-luka-doncic-austin-reaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/711426\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers\u2019 playoff schedule gives more healing time for Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain)<\/a> and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain)<\/a> suffered their regular-season-ending injuries April 2, with just 2 \u00bd weeks before the NBA playoffs started, coach JJ Redick immediately made the Lakers\u2019 mission clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth those guys are going to try to come back,\u201d Redick said April 5. \u201cAnd it\u2019s our job to extend the season so that they can come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Lakers\u2019 LeBron James is being counted on to keep the team afloat during the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Rockets. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Even with Redick saying Tuesday afternoon that Doncic and Reaves are out \u201cindefinitely\u201d and there won\u2019t be an update on either of their statuses for the remainder of the week, the Lakers\u2019 first-round playoff series schedule against the Rockets<\/a> gives them the best shot of accomplishing their original goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Game 1 on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena (5:30 p.m. tipoff) was already known.<\/p>\n

But the league announced Tuesday night that Game 2 is set for April 21 in Los Angeles and Game 3 is scheduled April 24 in Houston \u2014 giving the Lakers the maximum amount of time between games for their injury-riddled roster to get closer to whole before what could be a pivotal Game 4 on April 26 at Toyota Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There will be another two-day break before a potential Game 5 on April 29 at Crypto.com Arena \u2014 almost four weeks after the injuries to Doncic and Reaves \u2014 before the series shifts to playing every other day for potential Game 6 (May 1) in Houston and Game 7 (May 3) in Los Angeles.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The spaced-out nature of the Lakers-Rockets series isn\u2019t surprising \u2014 and not because of conspiracy theories that the NBA is favoring the Lakers<\/a> to give them the best shot they can at getting their star guards back during the first round.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not forget that the Lakers\u2019 schedule for their first-round playoff series against the Timberwolves \u2014 a series Doncic, Reaves and LeBron James were all healthy \u2014 followed the same format<\/a> as this year\u2019s Lakers-Rockets series.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And don\u2019t ignore the fact that the Cavaliers-Raptors matchup also has the same number of two-day breaks (three) before their potential Game 5 as Lakers-Rockets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Rockets\u2019 Alperen Sengun and his teammates will try to eliminate the short-handed Lakers in a first-round series. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, the schedule undoubtedly helps the Lakers.<\/p>\n

Doncic is attempting to speed up a recovery that typically takes three to six weeks<\/a> (and on average 35 days) by traveling to Spain to receive special treatment before coming back to the United States on Friday<\/a>. The average recovery timeline would have Doncic miss the series entirely, even if it lasted seven games. But a combination of the Lakers\u2019 first-round schedule and a sped-up recovery could see Doncic back on the floor in either Game 4 or 5.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And with Reaves\u2019 injury, which is expected to sideline him four to six weeks, about pain management in addition to recovery<\/a>, a sped-up return in which he\u2019s back on the floor in the earlier part of his recovery window could have him playing as soon as Game 5.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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There aren\u2019t any guarantees Doncic and Reaves will be back during the Lakers-Rockets series \u2014 let alone be able to play at the MVP-caliber level Doncic was at and the All-Star level Reaves was showing before the injuries.<\/p>\n

Reaves\u2019 shooting after practices this week is providing optimism for a return. <\/p>\n

More time will be good for Doncic and Reaves, even if some players said they don\u2019t know how the schedule looks, with Rui Hachimura saying Wednesday, \u201cI wasn\u2019t looking at it, I\u2019m not going to lie. \u2026 I\u2019m just focused on this first game. So I haven\u2019t really seen it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The overlooked benefit of the schedule is how it\u2019ll help the rest of the Lakers as they hope to extend the season so the star guards can return.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, the Lakers shot more efficiently from the field after multiple days between games compared with one or zero days.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia, all of whom will be counted on more offensively to start the series, were more productive offensively with two full days between games during the regular season compared with one or none.<\/p>\n

The Lakers\u2019 Deandre Ayton (5) knows more rest will benefit LA during its first-round series against Houston. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

And with Doncic and Reaves sidelined, the rest of the team will have to carry a heavier load \u2014 both in terms of minutes played and on-court responsibilities \u2014 which becomes more physically taxing the longer a series lasts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJust seeing what days are available, getting extra work in,\u201d Ayton said. \u201cWhat\u2019s the practice like? When do I have a free day for myself? Things like that. So I\u2019m always looking at the schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

During a series that\u2019ll be defined by physicality and the ability to maintain focus when fatigue settles in against a Rockets team that led the league in offensive rebounding for the second year in a row, the Lakers will need as much time to rest, recover and adjust their game plans as they can get.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Playing hard will be necessary. With narrow margins, they don\u2019t have any other options.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why the playoffs are so hard,\u201d Ayton said. \u201cYou play these hard games, but we got enough time to rest up and rejuvenate ourselves to play hard again. That\u2019s why they\u2019re so tough to win games in the playoffs because we\u2019re all alphas, and we bring it 110% every game. It\u2019s gonna be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though the numbers don\u2019t back it up, James is arguably the individual who\u2019ll benefit the most, with the 41-year-old having to be back in the driver\u2019s seat and at the forefront of the Lakers\u2019 playoff hopes until they can get their star ball handlers back \u2014 if they\u2019re able to extend the series long enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s 41,\u201d Redick said. \u201cSo any extra time off is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

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