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The Los Angeles Lakers are heavy underdogs in their series opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
A big part of the problem as the playoffs reach the Western Conference semifinals is this: Luka Doncic still isn't playing.
LeBron James is great, and Austin Reaves and the rest of the supporting cast are solid.
But the Thunder are a different beast, the defending champions led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC isn't supposed to lose, and certainly not to a Lakers team lacking Doncic.
That's the hand the Lakers have currently been dealt, though.
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Why isn't Luka Doncic playing tonight?
Doncic remains out due to injury as the Lakers-Thunder series begins.
He continues to recover from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept Doncic out for about a month.
The Lakers advanced past the Houston Rockets in the first round without Doncic on the floor.
When is Luka Doncic coming back?
Doncic has been called "week-to-week" by ESPN's Shams Charania.
That implies he could return in this postseason, but also that it doesn't seem to be immediate.
"He's doing more and more on the court," Charania said on Inside The NBA. "But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts."
Doncic was shooting by himself during the Lakers' practice on Monday, but he hasn't progressed to any kind of scrimmage work with multiple teammates on the floor with him.
JJ Redick told reporters Monday that there's "no update."
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