Lakers superstar Luka Doncic went down with a left hamstring injury in the second half of Thursday’s game against the Thunder. Doncic was clutching at his left leg since the first half, but hadn’t exited the game. He decided to continue as the Lakers attempted a wild comeback. However, it seemingly backfired.
During the third quarter, Doncic was handling an offensive possession and got to his spot in the midrange. He pulled a muscle after the defenders crowded him. Doncic limped off and lay down on the floor. Doncic left the game shortly. Here’s the video:
Doncic had previously missed games due to a hamstring injury, raising major concerns about his chances of returning sooner rather than later.
The Lakers officially confirmed Luka Doncic had a hamstring strain. He finished with 12 points, six rebounds, seven assists and six turnovers in 26 minutes. Doncic shot a measly 3 of 10.
Doncic could miss up to six weeks if it’s a Grade II strain. The Slovenian missing the first round of the playoffs is a realistic possibility until further updates suggest otherwise. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of his latest setback.
Luka Doncic could miss out on the end-of-season NBA awards
Luka Doncic could finish his season at 64 games, resulting in his exclusion from end-of-season awards. The NBA has a 65-game rule for players to make themselves eligible for it. After leading the league in scoring, Doncic was positioned to earn an All-NBA nod. He also had slim hopes of winning the MVP, which were quashed after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander outplayed him until Doncic’s injury ruled him out.
Nevertheless, if Doncic suits up for the sake of it and pulls out of a game right after tipoff, he can still have a shot at securing a second or third team All-NBA finish, if not first. He’s been incredible and a large part of the Lakers’ success after a second consecutive 50-win season.
