Luka Doncic update triggers nightmare scenario Mavericks should fear most

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic was spotted on the practice court lightly shooting jump shots off the dribble and one-legged floaters on Thursday afternoon at the Lakers' practice facility, meaning that he could return to the hardwood at some point before the NBA Playoffs are over.

Luka Doncic's return suddenly looks realistic

The Lakers have already made it clear that he isn't expected to play in the first round. But if they make it past the Houston Rockets, Doncic could help deliver a crushing blow to the Dallas Mavericks by leading Los Angeles on a deep playoff run in his first full season with the team.

Many Mavs fans still love watching Doncic play, and him leading the Lakers on a remarkable run would only make their decision to trade him hurt even worse. Fans are never going to get over the fact that Nico Harrison traded Doncic less than a year after he made the NBA Finals, and every game that he helps the Lakers win only makes this decision sting even worse.

He, of course, has to get healthy and recover from the hamstring strain that he suffered at the beginning of this month before even thinking about returning to actual practice, but if he does, the Lakers are going to be tough to beat. There were already some rumblings that he could return in the first round, and even though they were eventually shut down, every game that Los Angeles wins gives him extra time to recover.

Doncic helped lead the Lakers to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference behind a monstrous end to the season, but his hamstring injury changed everything. Their hope of going on a postseason run quickly diminished, but LeBron James has turned back the clock and put them in an excellent position to reach the second round.

They now hold a 2-0 lead over the Rockets despite Doncic and Austin Reaves being sidelined, but Reaves' return seems imminent. He is listed as questionable for tonight's game, and Los Angeles will become lethal once he's healthy again. Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field during the regular season, and they're a completely different team when he's on the floor.

Mavericks could be forced to watch Doncic dominate in the playoffs

The Lakers are poised to take on the winner of the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns if they make it past the Rockets, and Doncic's return in this series, while leading LA to the Western Conference Finals, would be one of the top storylines of the entire season. Mavericks fans would be stuck watching him take down their former major rival from home, as they missed the playoffs for the second season in a row.

This would be the ultimate reminder that they never should've traded him, as he has the greatness to completely shift the landscape of the NBA Playoffs. Los Angeles would immediately become one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA once again, and Mavs fans would be dreaming up what Dallas could've accomplished if they had held onto him.

He still has a long way to go before returning to game action, but even doing light-speed work is a good sign. The Lakers are going to need to see much more out of him before he returns to play, but he's taking the baby steps needed to light up the NBA once again.

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