Lakers’ JJ Redick gives needed Luka Doncic injury update as NBA Playoffs near originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
All of a sudden, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ hopes of making it out of the NBA Playoffs as the top team slowly withered. Coach JJ Redick saw both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves go down. Since then, they have lost two-straight games and will likely continue to suffer from the absences up until the postseason. Both of the guards plan on coming back soon and it looks like the Slovenian superstar wants to quicken his recovery more.
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Lakers fans get Doncic injury update from Coach Redick
As of the moment, Doncic is in Europe to get his hamstring strain treated immediately. This raised a lot of questions for Lakers fans, especially because there are just a few days before the NBA Playoffs start. However, Coach Redick assured everyone that Doncic has been in close contact with him and the team throughout this injury recovery journey despite the distance. He gave a huge update that the Lakers faithful really needed to hear, via Dan Woike of The Athletic.
“I just know that he’s gonna do everything he can to try to be back. I talked to him Friday. I talked to him again yesterday. I talked to him again this morning. He’s going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it’s our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back,” the Lakers head coach declared.
The Lakers will still have to play four games in the regular season. They are also now in danger of falling as far the fifth seed in the Western Conference if their losing streak continues.
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While Doncic and Reaves are out, the Lakers have found guards who stepped up. Coach Redick enlisted both Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia to fill in. LeBron James is also doing his part by playing heavy minutes at the forward position while also running the offense at times. Obviously, Coach Redick is grateful that Kennard, LaRavia, and James are heating up but it will be very different when the NBA Playoffs start.
Will the Lakers be able to quicken Doncic’s injury recovery before they become in danger during the NBA Playoffs?