Dr. Jesse Morse criticized the Los Angeles Lakers for treating Luka Doncic's Grade 2 hamstring strain with only PRP therapy, arguing that the treatment was insufficient and may have delayed his recovery during the playoffs.
Luka Doncic has officially been ruled out for Game 3 of the second-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, and there appears to be very little hope that he will return for Game 4 either.
Los Angeles Lakers / Schedule
According to sports medicine expert Dr. Jesse Morse, the decision to use only platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment instead of stem-cell therapy could be the reason why Doncic may miss the remainder of the 2026 NBA playoffs with his Grade 2 hamstring strain.
"In my opinion, based on what we know, he should have returned 1-2 weeks ago if completed properly," Morse wrote on X.
"I can confidently say that whatever he did, it wasn't enough. ... PRP barely moves the needle."
Morse also claimed that the treatment decision may have effectively ended the Lakers' season, arguing that Los Angeles has little chance of beating the Thunder without Doncic in the lineup.
"If he chose the correct product choice, volume, injection location, and physician, then he should have already returned," Morse added.
Credit AP - Scanpix
Earlier, Morse also questioned the PRP treatment itself, suggesting it may not have been strong enough for the severity of the injury.
He described PRP as "a baby dose" and rated its potency at "about a three out of 10," arguing that the injury required a more aggressive regenerative treatment approach.
The specialist suggested advanced regenerative options such as amniotic tissue allografts, Wharton's jelly, mesenchymal stem cells, or exosome-based therapies, calling them "the best stuff money can buy" and significantly more effective for tissue healing.
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
The Lakers currently trail the series 2-0 as it shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena.
Saturday's matchup will mark Luka's ninth missed playoff game since suffering the Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2.
The Slovenian star has reportedly started running again, but he still has not been cleared for full-contact basketball activities.
Doncic is believed to have suffered a significant Grade 2 hamstring strain, or partial tear, and could still be one to two weeks away from returning.
Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
Thunder vs. Lakers schedule
Game 1: Lakers vs. Thunder on Tuesday, May 5 (OKC won 108-90)
Game 2: Lakers vs. Thunder on Thursday, May 7 (OKC won 125-107)
Game 3: Thunder vs. Lakers on Saturday, May 9
Game 4: Thunder vs. Lakers on Monday, May 11
Game 5: Lakers vs. Thunder on Wednesday, May 13*
Game 6: Thunder vs. Lakers on Saturday, May 16*
Game 7: Lakers vs. Thunder on Monday, May 18*
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