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The Los Angeles Lakers have a prime opportunity to unexpectedly defeat the Houston Rockets in five games to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday night.
A lackluster/sluggish effort against Houston on Sunday prevented the Lakers from completing the sweep, but the franchise can make up for that inspiring performance by eliminating the Rockets at Crypto.com Arena tonight.
Of course, many are wondering if superstar guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) will be available for the contest. The 6-foot-6 future Hall of Famer has been sidelined the entire series, but the Lakers have managed to survive in his absence.
Is Luka Doncic playing for the Lakers tonight vs. the Rockets?
No, Doncic is inactive for Los Angeles for the fifth straight playoff clash due to his lingering hamstring injury. On Wednesday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania provided the public with a fresh update on Doncic’s status moving forward.
"Out since the beginning of the month with a grade 2 hamstring strain, I'm told it is a slow path on his recovery,” Charania stated. “If the Lakers do advance, ... the expectation is that Luka Doncic will be out to start that series. There's still no clarity on a timeline. He's starting to ramp up a little bit more."
Essentially, as long as Los Angeles doesn't blow a 3-1 series lead to the Rockets in playoff round No. 1, the organization could have Doncic back in the lineup in the foreseeable future.
Hypothetically, competing against the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder without Doncic wouldn’t be ideal, making it vital for the six-time All-Star to continue on an upward trajectory and quickly work his way back into game shape.
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