LA Lakers star Luka Doncic exited Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers late in the second quarter. After an offensive possession in which he was doubled in the post, Doncic tried to pass the ball around his defender. He turned the ball over and, as he walked back, clutched at his left hamstring.
The Lakers took a timeout and Doncic wasn’t on the bench after the players returned to the floor. The Slovenian had 10 points, four rebounds and two assists on 3 of 10 in 16 minutes before his exit. The Lakers trailed 51-42 when he left. They started Rui Hachimura in the second half as Doncic remained in the locker room.
The Lakers announced in the third quarter that Doncic had been ruled out for the rest of the game due to left leg soreness. While it was unfortunate for the Lakers that he couldn’t continue, the positive update is that he hadn’t injured his hamstring.
Hamstring injuries can be challenging to overcome quickly, so a multi-week absence would have been likely.
Luka Doncic getting hurt at this point could make things worse for Lakers
While Luka Doncic’s injury doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue, there will be concerns about his availability. Doncic getting hurt at this point could worsen the Lakers’ chemistry, especially among him, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. The trio hasn’t shared the floor very often, with LeBron James missing the first three weeks with sciatica, followed by Austin Reaves’ absence, which lasted more than a month.
Now, if Doncic misses time, the Lakers will have to hope James and Reaves stay healthy the rest of the way. The lack of chemistry won’t impact them as much in the regular season, but in the playoffs, it could cost LA dearly. Most other contenders have better continuity than this core, raising concerns about the Lakers’ chances of making another deep run.
