Before the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided an injury update: Dončić is starting a return-to-play progression, but there is no assessed timeline for when he might be back. Reaves, meanwhile, has begun 1-on-1 on-court work, but there is still no shift in his return timeline.
Additional reporting reinforces that Reaves is further along in rehab than Dončić, who is set to begin on-court work soon. There is still no firm timeline for Dončić’s return, and others on the team are being asked to carry the load in his absence.
The context remains that the Lakers won Game 1 without both stars, and speculation about Dončić’s return circulated after his trip to Spain. However, updates from team officials and reporters indicate an indefinite timeline for his return and no change in Reaves’s status.
With Dončić out indefinitely and Reaves still ramping up, Los Angeles will continue to lean on their depth as the series progresses. Updates on both players will be provided as more clarity emerges on their rehab and on-court progress.
