Overview
- The Lakers listed Dončić as out on Monday’s injury report, confirming he will miss Tuesday’s Game 1 in Oklahoma City.
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Dončić has not begun contact work in his Grade 2 hamstring rehab, which points to him missing the first few games.
- Thunder wing Jalen Williams was also ruled out for Game 1 with a left hamstring strain, the teams’ reports to the league show.
- Lakers coach JJ Redick called Oklahoma City a historically elite team, and ESPN’s panel unanimously picked the Thunder after L.A. went 0-4 against them in the regular season.
- With Dončić sidelined, Austin Reaves’ return “changes the equation,” per OKC coach Mark Daigneault, and Redick says Deandre Ayton is the player who most raises L.A.’s ceiling.