Lakers superstar Luka Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain in Thursday’s blowout loss to the Thunder. During the third quarter of the contest, Doncic pulled up a muscle during an offensive possession and limped off to the sidelines. Doncic looked frustrated and in pain after that non-contact blow.
It was the same left hamstring he had injured previously this season, forcing him to miss multiple games. After his latest setback. Sports Doctor Evan Jeffries feared that Doncic could miss up to six weeks of action. That, of course, depends on the severity of the ailment. According to Jeffries, Doncic could miss one or two weeks if it’s a Grade I strain. If it’s a Grade II strain, he could be out three to six weeks.
“Luka Doncic seems to pull up because of his left hamstring This is the SAME hamstring he hurt prior in the season. If it’s a strain timeline is dependent on severity Grade I: 1-2 weeks Grade II: 3-6 weeks,” Jeffries wrote on X.
The playoffs begin on Apr. 18, which is a day over two weeks from now. The Lakers have locked a top-six spot, so they will begin their first-round playoff series then, which could be against the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, or Minnesota Timberwolves.
Los Angeles is third with a 50-27 record. The Lakers have tie-breakers over Denver, Houston and Minnesota. They have a one-game lead over the Nuggets, two over the Rockets and three over the Timberwolves after Thursday’s loss.
Lakers’ chances of advancing past the first round without Luka Doncic seem bleak
The Lakers’ chances of advancing past the first round of the NBA playoffs seem bleak if Luka Doncic can’t suit up. He’s contributing between 50-60 points per game on average, which is close to 50% of the team’s offense. While Los Angeles has Austin Reaves and LeBron James, neither has been as consistent as Doncic this year.
The Nuggets, Rockets and Timberwolves can be as good as any team defensively when it matters, so none of these matchups would be as favorable in the first round without Doncic in the lineup.
The Lakers will hope for the best-case scenario with Doncic’s injury, as hamstring strains can be tricky. He may recover quickly, but would need significant time to ramp up to feel confident about taking to the floor in a playoff atmosphere.
