The Los Angeles Lakers saw franchise star Luka Doncic go down to a concerning left hamstring injury on Thursday night during a 139-96 loss to the OKC Thunder.
Doncic is expected to miss the rest of the regular season, targeting a comeback in the NBA playoffs for the franchise that's already secured its spot in the postseason. However, that won't be easy, as the recovery time for a Grade 2 hamstring strain can range anywhere between three to six weeks.
We've seen Doncic limp into the playoffs with injuries before, but players are usually extra cautious with injuries to the hamstring, given its poor correlation as the first step to a potentially worse injury.
To maximize his chances of being able to play in the playoffs at the level we expect him to, Doncic will be going back to Europe to seek specialized medical treatment, as announced by his agent, Bill Duffy, to ESPN's Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin.
"After consultation with Lakers doctors and his own medical team, Luka Doncic will seek specialized medical treatment in Europe on his Grade 2 left hamstring in an attempt to expedite his return to play, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tells me and Dave McMenamin." (H/T Shams Charania)
William Liang-Imagn Images
Players seeking medical treatment in Europe is nothing new. We've seen players like LeBron James go to Germany for specialized treatment to treat old injuries, with the forward still playing at a high-level at 41 years old. Doncic is from Europe and likely has a trusted set of doctors to rely on.
Being able to be close to his children while recovering might also help Doncic emotionally after rough developments in his personal life over the last year. The Lakers will allow the 27-year-old franchise cornerstone take whatever steps he needs if that means he's healthy for the playoffs.
Doncic suffered his injury on April 1, with the first round of the playoffs starting on April 18. If the earliest return case was after three weeks, Doncic might miss the first few games of the first round before returning.
This treatment might help him target an earlier return date, like Game 1 of the first round. He might not be 100% on the court, but if it helps him return to the court and be effective, it's worth a shot.
