Los Angeles Lakers fans were left concerned after MVP candidate Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury during their 139-96 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, forcing him to exit in the third quarter.
Doncic was seen favoring his left hamstring as early as the first quarter, which ended with the Thunder holding a 44-21 lead. Despite this, he stayed in the game until the third quarter, when he collided with Jalen Williams, fell to the floor, and eventually left the contest.
Lakers fans criticized the coaching staff for keeping Doncic in the game despite the lopsided score, calling it a double blow as the team not only lost heavily but also risked Doncic’s eligibility for end-of-season awards.
Doncic ended the game with 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting, along with seven assists and four rebounds. He posted a minus-25 rating in 25 minutes of action.
Austin Reaves paced the Lakers in scoring with 15 points, while LeBron James added 13 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes.
How Many More Games Can Luka Doncic Miss Before Becoming Ineligible for Postseason Awards?
This contest marked Doncic’s 64th game of the season. He would have reached the 65-game minimum required for postseason award eligibility had he played against the Washington Wizards, but he was suspended for that game due to accumulated technical fouls.
With five games remaining on the schedule, Doncic needs to appear in just one more to qualify for postseason honors.
The Lakers resume their regular season on Sunday with a road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks before returning to Crypto.com Arena for a rematch against the Thunder.
They will then travel to face the Golden State Warriors in their final road game before closing the regular season at home against the Phoenix Suns on April 10 and the Utah Jazz on April 12.
Doncic is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his left hamstring Friday to assess the severity of the injury, according to The Athletic’s Dan Woike.
