Luka Doncic, who has been having an MVP-level season with the Lakers, faced a significant setback during Thursday’s game against the OKC Thunder. In the third quarter, Doncic suffered a severe injury, causing concern among Lakers fans.
Dave McMenamin, an ESPN correspondent, reported on the injury via X (formerly Twitter).
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“Luka Doncic is down on the floor and the Lakers call timeout,” McMenamin wrote. “He appeared to tweak his left ankle/hamstring. He is up and walking on his own power back to the Lakers’ locker room with 7:39 remaining in the 3rd Q.”
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This update quickly raised alarm among Lakers fans, many of whom feared the worst.
While most fans were concerned about Doncic’s well-being, some criticized JJ Redick for keeping him on the court despite the Lakers being significantly behind.
The injury took place in the third quarter with the Lakers trailing 90-58. Doncic seemed to injure his hamstring while being double-teamed in the paint during a layup attempt. He limped before sitting on the floor in visible pain, looking towards the bench.
After receiving on-court treatment, Doncic was replaced by Jake LaRavia and left the court. Although the injury initially appeared severe, his ability to walk off on his own provided some relief.
Nevertheless, with the Lakers aiming for a deep playoff run and Doncic as their star player, there remains significant concern for the future.
Luka Doncic’s injury marks a disappointing night for the Lakers star
On Thursday, Luka Doncic had an uncommon off-night against the OKC Thunder, struggling to find his rhythm against the defending champions. The Lakers trailed 44-21 after a slow start in the first quarter, and Doncic was held back by a strong OKC defense before exiting the game due to injury.
The Slovenian played 26 minutes at the Paycom Center, scoring 12 points and providing seven assists. He had difficulty shooting, making 3-of-10 field goals, including just one of seven three-point attempts.
His challenges were further highlighted by a -25 plus-minus and six turnovers, with his injury capping off a troubling night for the Lakers star.
Edited by Arian Kashyap
