Luka Doncic out for start of second round. When will Lakers star return?

May 3, 2026, 5:19 p.m. ETLuka Doncic is still building towards a return, but it won't come in time for Game 1.The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Doncic for the start of their second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on "Inside the NBA" on Sunday.Charania reports the Lakers are evaluating Doncic on a week-to-week basis and is currently on a "slow path" in his recovery from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined for the past month.Doncic returned to the practice floor during the Lakers' first round series, but has yet to progress to 3-on-3 or 5-on-5."He's doing more and more on the court," Charania reported. "But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts."Doncic has missed 11 games since straining his left hamstring against Oklahoma City on April 2. The Lakers have gone 7-4 in that span but ran out to a 3-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, winning the series in six games.The odds are stacked against LA yet again with a matchup against the defending NBA champion Thunder, who won a league-best 64 games in