LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic is back on the court for limited practice sessions as he continues recovering from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, displaying an upbeat and determined attitude that has encouraged Los Angeles Lakers teammates and coaches amid uncertainty about his availability for the 2026 NBA playoffs.

The 27-year-old superstar suffered the non-contact injury during a 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, forcing him to miss the remainder of the regular season. Initial MRI results confirmed the moderate strain, which typically requires three to six weeks of recovery, though Doncic and the Lakers have pursued an aggressive rehabilitation plan to expedite his return.

After consulting with team doctors and his personal medical staff, Doncic traveled to Europe for specialized treatment in Spain, including stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma injections aimed at accelerating healing. He returned to Los Angeles last week and has since resumed light on-court work, including non-running basketball activities, according to multiple reports.

Lakers coach J.J. Redick described Doncic’s mood as “relatively good spirits” during a recent media availability, noting the Slovenian star’s diligent approach to rehab and his positive interactions with teammates. Sources close to the team say Doncic remains optimistic about contributing in the postseason, even if his exact return date remains fluid. Some optimistic projections suggest he could be available as early as early May, potentially in the later stages of a first-round series or the conference semifinals.

The injury occurred at a critical juncture for the Lakers, who had secured a playoff spot but now face the postseason without their leading scorer and playmaker for the opening rounds. Doncic averaged a league-leading 33.5 points per game this season, along with strong assists and steals numbers, anchoring the offense with his signature step-back threes, vision and physicality.

Teammates have praised his leadership from the sidelines and during recovery sessions. Austin Reaves, also sidelined with his own injury, has been spotted supporting Doncic in practice. Veteran voices like James Worthy have provided updates, emphasizing patience while highlighting Doncic’s work ethic.

The recovery timeline has sparked intense debate among fans and analysts. A standard Grade 2 hamstring strain often sidelines players for four to eight weeks, making an immediate return for the start of the playoffs — which began in mid-April — highly unlikely. However, the specialized European treatment and Doncic’s history of resilience have fueled hopes for a quicker timeline. Reports indicate he has not yet resumed full running or high-intensity drills, with medical staff prioritizing complete healing to avoid re-injury.

Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, confirmed the decision to seek treatment abroad, stating it was made to maximize chances of a strong playoff return. The move drew attention for its proactive nature, reflecting the high stakes for a star who has transformed the Lakers’ fortunes since his arrival.

Public reaction to the injury was emotional. Video clips showed Doncic visibly upset as he left the court against Oklahoma City, underscoring the disappointment of missing key games at season’s end. Yet recent updates from practice have shifted the narrative toward cautious optimism. Social media has filled with encouraging messages from fans, many expressing relief at seeing him back in Lakers gear, even if only for controlled sessions.

The Lakers have navigated the absence with a mix of veteran leadership and younger contributors stepping up. While the team has managed to stay competitive, the drop-off without Doncic’s scoring and facilitation has been noticeable. Coach Redick has stressed a team-first mentality, but all eyes remain on when — or if — the franchise cornerstone can rejoin the rotation.

Doncic’s mood has been a frequent topic in updates. Those around the team describe him as focused, competitive and eager to return rather than frustrated or withdrawn. He has used the downtime to study film, connect with teammates and maintain conditioning within the limits of his rehab protocol. Sources say the time spent in Europe, including moments with family in Slovenia, helped him stay mentally fresh and motivated.

Playoff implications are significant. The Lakers, already dealing with other injuries including to Reaves, could face an uphill battle in the opening round against a tough Western Conference opponent like the Houston Rockets. A potential Doncic return in the middle or later stages of a series could dramatically shift the outlook, giving Los Angeles a superstar boost when it matters most.

Medical experts caution against rushing the process. Hamstring strains are notorious for lingering effects and high re-injury risk if athletes return prematurely. The Lakers’ medical staff, in coordination with Doncic’s personal team, continues daily monitoring, with progress measured through strength tests, flexibility assessments and gradual on-court loading.

The broader NBA landscape has taken note. Rival executives and analysts have commented on the challenge of facing a healthy Doncic in the postseason, while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding his status. His absence has also sparked discussions about load management, injury prevention and the physical toll of a long season on star players.

For Lakers fans, the saga has been a roller coaster of concern and hope. Social media buzzes daily with speculation about return timelines, with optimistic projections clashing against more conservative medical estimates. The sight of Doncic back at practice — even in limited capacity — has provided a morale boost, with videos and reports circulating widely.

Doncic’s career has been defined by perseverance. From his early days in Europe to becoming an NBA MVP candidate and franchise cornerstone, he has overcome skepticism and physical challenges. This latest injury tests that resilience once more, but early signs point to a player committed to returning stronger and helping his team chase a championship.

As the playoffs progress without him in the immediate lineup, the focus remains on steady progress. Any advancement to jogging, sprinting or full-contact drills would signal a major step forward. Until then, the Lakers will lean on collective effort while keeping the door open for their superstar’s potential heroics later in the postseason.

The coming weeks will clarify Doncic’s availability. In the meantime, his positive mood and dedication to recovery offer reassurance to a franchise and fanbase eager to see him back on the court doing what he does best — dominating games with skill, flair and unshakeable confidence.

Most people who delay investing aren’t doing so because they think putting their money into the markets is a bad idea. They’re stuck in front of a confusing smorgasbord of options, afraid to pile the wrong things on their plate and at least a little afraid of looking like they don’t know what they’re doing (especially if it’s true). Thus, analysis paralysis is often the default.

Have no fear. There’s a quick and simple way to build a sensible portfolio by using a small handful of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). So, without further ado, let’s get some clarity over what’s going to go into this portfolio and how much of an allocation each ETF should get.

Here’s the easy ETF portfolio you’ve been looking for

For a portfolio to count as being both good and easy, it needs to be anchored with a hearty helping of market-tracking index funds. That way, you’ll get exposure to growth and quite a lot of diversification, which will help to insulate you from all sorts of risks.

COULD S&P 500 ETFS ALONE FUND YOUR ENTIRE RETIREMENT?

Therefore, 65% of the portfolio could be allocated to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, and 20% could be allocated to the iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
VOO	VANGUARD S&P 500 ETF – USD DIS	647.30	-4.24	-0.65%
IXUS	ISHARES TRUST CORE MSCI TOTAL INTL STK	91.98	-1.89	-2.01%

The Vanguard ETF has an expense ratio of just 0.03% annually and tracks the performance of the biggest public companies listed in the U.S., whereas the iShares ETF has an annual expense ratio of 0.07% and tracks the performance of the biggest international companies, explicitly not including those in the U.S. 

The point of having both of these in the portfolio is that you’ll be diversified across business sectors and across geographies, which reduces the chance that problems in the U.S. or any other specific country will drag down your portfolio’s performance as a whole.

Those two ETFs focus on stocks. A well-rounded and sufficiently diversified portfolio also needs some exposure to bonds to ensure that it has a fairly safe source of yield when times get tough, and to cryptocurrency, as it isn’t represented well in any of the other ETFs.

GOLDMAN SACHS COMPLETES INNOVATOR CAPITAL ACQUISITION, LIFTING ETF ASSETS TO $90B

Thus, you could also allocate 10% of the portfolio to the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF and 5% to the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF.

In a nutshell, BND is crash insurance. It holds more than 17,000 U.S. investment-grade bonds for an annual expense ratio of just 0.03%. Its trailing-12-month yield is only 3.9%, but it isn’t intended to be a major growth driver for your portfolio anyway.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
BND	VANGUARD TOTAL BOND MARKET ETF – USD	73.78	-0.23	-0.31%
IBIT	ISHARES BITCOIN TRUST – USD ACC	42.51	-0.74	-1.71%

The Bitcoin Trust position provides exposure to spot bitcoin as the name implies. The point of owning it is that it’ll help you to benefit from the cryptocurrency’s status as a scarce store of value, and it might help to guard your portfolio against inflation too. It’ll cost you a bit more than the other ETFs, with an expense ratio of 0.25%, but the potential growth that it offers is worth the price.

There isn’t much maintenance required

This portfolio can hum along for years without any intervention from you. But there is one thing you can do to slightly boost its performance.

VANGUARD FUND STRIPS OUT CHINA IN EMERGING MARKETS INVESTMENT PLAY

Once a year, open your brokerage or retirement account and compare each fund’s current weighting to its allocation target described above.

If any position has drifted by more than five percentage points from its target allocation, it’s wise to sell a little of the winner and buy a little of the laggard. You’re selling high and buying low, and that’s the entire (mostly voluntary) maintenance obligation. Inside a tax-advantaged account like a Roth IRA or a 401(k), rebalancing triggers no tax consequences, and many brokerages can even automate the process for target-weight portfolios if that’s something that interests you.

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Start with whatever amount of capital you have on hand, add to your holdings in the proper proportions when you can, rebalance the portfolio once a year and let time in the market do the rest of the work. The longer you’re willing to let this money grow, the better off you’re likely to be.

Alex Carchidi has positions in Bitcoin and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

NEW DELHI: The government may keep an outlay of Rs 7,500 crore under the production linked incentive scheme for IT hardware products like personal computers, laptops, tablets and servers, according to a source aware of the development.

Foreign companies looking for incentives under the scheme may have to invest Rs 500 crore over four years, while the threshold for domestic firms is likely to be around Rs 20 crore for five years, the source who did not wish to be named said.

“Meity (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) will take the Cabinet approval of the detailed guidelines soon and is hopeful of rolling out the scheme from next financial year. The incentive outlay is likely to be around Rs 7,500 crore,” the source said.

The government has announced a cumulative production linked incentive of Rs 2 lakh crore for 10 sectors to encourage domestic manufacturing after seeing traction of global giants like Apple’s contract manufacturers, Samsung etc for the scheme in the mobile devices segment.

According to mobile devices industry body ICEA, India has the potential to scale up its cumulative laptop and tablet manufacturing capacity to over Rs 7 lakh crore by 2025 through policy interventions.

Scaling up laptop and tablet PC manufacturing can take the share of India in the global market to 26 per cent from 1 per cent at present.