Luka Doncic seeks specialist treatment in Europe for hamstring injury
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will travel to Europe for specialist medical treatment on a hamstring strain in a bid to accelerate his return for the NBA playoffs.
The Slovenian playmaker suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring tear during the third quarter of Thursday’s heavy 139-96 defeat by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
An MRI scan conducted in Dallas on Friday confirmed the full severity of the muscular issue.
Consequently, the Western Conference franchise has ruled the guard out for the remainder of the regular season.
Race against time for playoffs
A standard recovery period for this specific grade of injury is typically around one month.
The Lakers have declined to offer an exact timetable beyond confirming his absence for their final five regular-season fixtures.
With the opening round of the NBA playoffs scheduled to commence on April 18, the injured superstar faces a remarkably tight turnaround to regain match fitness.
Seeking overseas expertise
Agent Bill Duffy confirmed the overseas medical plan following extensive consultations with both team physicians and independent specialists.
Losing the prolific scorer represents a significant blow to Los Angeles as they attempt to secure their post-season seeding.
The team must now rely on their remaining roster depth to navigate the concluding matches of the campaign without their primary offensive focal point.