LeBron All Alone: JJ Redick Confirms Doncic, Reaves Out ‘Indefinitely’ Before Game 1 vs Rockets

Last Updated:April 15, 2026, 6:20 PM IST

The Lakers’ playoff hopes take a massive hit as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are ruled out indefintely. Now, it’s all on LeBron James again to carry LA through the storm.

The Lakers will once again rely on LeBron James to keep them alive in the NBA Playoffs till he gets reinforcements (AFP)

Just when the Los Angeles Lakers seemed to be building real momentum, the rug was pulled out from under them.

And boy, is it not getting any better for them… or LeBron James.

The Purple and Gold are now staring down a nightmare scenario: both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are set to miss the start of the first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

Head coach JJ Redick didn’t sugarcoat it while addressing the media on Tuesday after practice.

“They’re out indefinitely,” Redick said. “I’m not going to have an update for you this week.”

Doncic is dealing with a hamstring strain and has reportedly flown to Europe for specialised treatment, while Reaves continues rehab in Los Angeles after suffering an oblique strain.

Neither returned after picking up their injuries in the April 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and now, both are racing against time with no clear return date.

LeBron, Once Again, Against the Odds

If this script feels familiar, it’s because it is.

At 41, LeBron James is once again being asked to shoulder everything. And he knows it.

“Everything,” LeBron said earlier last week when asked what the team needs from him. “Everything, so nothing changes for me. Just back to the old ways.”

Without their top two scorers, the Lakers’ margin for error has effectively vanished.

A Brutal Road Ahead

Hamstring and oblique injuries typically require weeks — sometimes over a month — of recovery, making it increasingly likely that both Doncic and Reaves could miss a significant chunk, if not all, of the opening series.

That leaves the Lakers limping into the postseason, with Game 1 against Houston looming large.

Still, if there’s one thing the NBA has learned over the past two decades, it’s this: you can never count out a LeBron James-led team.

(with AP inputs)

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