The Los Angeles Lakers continue their playoff series against the Houston Rockets with the latest injury updates on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves coming into focus following Game 2.
Los Angeles defeated Houston 101-94 in Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena, extending its series lead to 2-0 despite continuing to play without both key rotation players.
Doncic remains out indefinitely with a hamstring injury. The Lakers have not provided a return timetable for him within the series.
Reaves is also still working through recovery from a rib injury, with his status tied to a multi-week rehabilitation timeline.
Before Game 2, Shams Charania reported on ESPN’s NBA Today that Reaves had begun on-court one-on-one work. He also noted that the next phase of recovery includes three-on-three and eventually five-on-five activity.
Charania added that Reaves’ initial four-to-six-week timetable placed him on track for a possible late-series or early-next-series return window, depending on progression.
Meanwhile, Doncic’s situation is more complicated. “The Lakers are not expecting Luka Doncic to be back in this series. He is out indefinitely,” Charania said.
That report was made prior to Game 2, where both Doncic and Reaves remained unavailable as the Lakers secured another win over Houston.
LeBron James led the Lakers in Game 2 with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, managing late-game possessions to maintain control in a close fourth quarter.
Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard provided key scoring support, combining for 48 points as the Lakers again leaned on depth production.
Doncic’s absence continues to remove a primary playmaking and scoring engine, while Reaves’ absence has limited secondary creation and perimeter spacing options.
The Lakers will monitor Reaves’ progression through on-court contact phases, which will determine whether he can return later in the series.
