JJ Redick on Lakers Plan Without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves

The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into the 2026 NBA Playoffs without their two best guards. Both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves went down on April 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and with Game 1 against the Houston Rockets here, neither is cleared to play.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick addressed the team's mindset in a post shared on X by The Athletic's Dan Woike on April 18.

"The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we're gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point. We don't know what that is, and that's just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that's what we're trying to do."

JJ Redick on the Lakers' mindset with Reaves/Dončić "The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we're gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point. We don't know what that is, and that's just our job. And their job…
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) April 17, 2026

No promises, no timeline. The plan is simple: stay alive long enough to give them a chance to come back. Whether that actually happens depends on how far this team can go without them.

There are small signs of progress.

Doncic flew to Madrid after the injury for stem cell treatment and was spotted back at his Manhattan Beach home on April 17, riding out on an e-bike with his father. He is back, but not yet cleared.

Reaves has been in Los Angeles the whole time and has started doing light work after team practices, including free throws, as he works through his Grade 2 oblique strain.

Neither has a return date. Both are still listed out indefinitely, and the Lakers are not rushing anyone. A Grade 2 oblique typically takes four to six weeks, which already puts Reaves in a tight window. Doncic's hamstring has even less clarity around it.

Lakers Starting Five vs Rockets and How the Matchup Looks

The expected starting lineup for Game 1 is Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton. It is a lineup built around shooting and defense, with James as the engine running everything.

Kennard and Hachimura are the floor spacers. Smart brings the defensive edge and some veteran playmaking. Ayton is the interior presence.

Houston counters with Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Reed Sheppard. Durant is the biggest problem, though he is listed as questionable for Game 1 with a right knee contusion. He and LeBron go back to three Finals matchups, and at 37, he is still capable of taking over a game. Sengun adds a second scoring option in the paint that Ayton will have to handle.

Redick is coaching a playoff series with his two best players watching from the sideline. Whatever happens against Houston, the Lakers need wins before any of this injury talk even matters.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on YouTube, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google