Latest NBA Injury News Could Affect OKC Thunder’s Playoff Run

With the NBA Playoff Bracket set, the Oklahoma City Thunder's path to repeating as NBA Champions is clear.

The Bricktown Ballers got a favorable result on Sunday as the Denver Nuggets upset the San Antonio Spurs to slot the Mile High City Crew into the No. 3 seed.

This left the Thunder's path back to the Western Conference Finals running through the No. 8 seed play in winner (one of the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, L.A. Clippers or Golden State Warriors) in Round 1 then the winner of the Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers series in Round 2.

Oklahoma City is in control of the easiest path possible in their quest to become the first back-to-back title team since the 2018 Golden State Warriors. If the Thunder can simply make it past the second round they will have accomplish more than the previous six champions.

On Monday, ESPN's NBA Insider Shams Charania gave an injury update on the Pat Mcafee show regarding the hobbled Los Angeles Lakers stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

"[Doncic] spent the last week in Spain from my understanding, the majority of time in Spain, he underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring. My understanding is he'll be back in the states on Tuesday and they're gonna reevaluate him," Charania reported.

While getting Doncic back at some point in the first round projects to help the Lakers cause in sneaking past the Rockets, and the superstar guard has a history of being able to inject himself later in series such as in the first round of his first Western Conference Finals run with the Dallas Mavericks back in 2022, it will still be an uphill battle for the Purple and Gold.

Reaves on the other hand, is projected to be sidelined for the length of the first round according to Charania's insight.

"The earliest for [Austin Reaves] [to return] is gonna be that first week of May," the ESPN Insider detailed.

Shams on Luka:

"He spent the last week in Spain from my understanding, the majority of time in Spain, he underwent multiple injection treatments in that hamstring. My understanding is he'll be back in the states on Tuesday and they're gonna reevaluate him"

On Austin:

"The… pic.twitter.com/lIiLXz9m45
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 13, 2026

This puts the Lakers on upset alert in their No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed bout with the Houston Rockets. It could set up the Rockets to advance, bringing Kevin Durant into Bricktown in Round 2 which would be the most dramatic outcome possible with plenty of built in storylines.

Oklahoma City should not have to struggle no matter who emerges in Round 2, standing in the way of the Bricktown Ballers.

Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of the team's NBA Playoff run.