Luka Doncic to Miss Rest of Lakers’ Regular Season with Hamstring Strain/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Luka Doncic will miss the remainder of the Lakers’ regular season with a hamstring injury. The NBA scoring leader suffered a Grade 2 strain during a loss to Oklahoma City. His absence raises concerns for Los Angeles ahead of the playoffs.
Luka Doncic Injury — Quick Looks
- Luka Doncic out with Grade 2 hamstring strain
- Lakers star to miss final five games
- Injury occurred vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Lakers currently third in Western Conference
- Doncic leads NBA in scoring at 33.5 PPG
- Lakers rely heavily on Doncic offense
- Risk of missing major NBA awards eligibility
- Lakers playoff positioning still uncertain
- LeBron James and Austin Reaves expected to step up
- Playoffs begin shortly after regular season ends
Deep Look: Luka Doncic To Miss Rest of Lakers Regular Season
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Luka Doncic for the remainder of the regular season after the NBA’s scoring leader suffered a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring, the team announced Friday.
The injury comes at a critical time for Los Angeles, which has surged into third place in the Western Conference standings behind Doncic’s dominant play. However, the superstar guard was hurt during the Lakers’ blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, and an MRI confirmed the moderate hamstring strain.
The Pacific Division champion Lakers, currently 50-27, have just five games remaining before the postseason begins. Their next game is Sunday in Dallas, followed by a short stretch leading into the playoffs.
Grade 2 hamstring injuries often require several weeks of recovery, making Doncic’s return before the playoffs uncertain. The injury also raises concerns given his recent history with hamstring issues. He previously missed four games earlier this season before the All-Star break with another strain in the same leg.
Despite the injury setback, Doncic has delivered one of the most impressive seasons of his career during his first full year with Los Angeles. The Slovenian superstar is averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game while leading the Lakers’ late-season push.
His March performance was particularly historic. Doncic scored 600 points during the month, becoming just the 10th player in NBA history to reach that milestone. During that stretch, he posted 13 consecutive 30-point games, including seven 40-point performances.
Doncic also produced standout performances including a 51-point game against Chicago and a 60-point performance in Miami. His offensive dominance helped propel Los Angeles into a strong playoff position.
The Lakers relied heavily on Doncic throughout March, with the guard scoring or assisting on 58% of the team’s total points during the month. While LeBron James and Austin Reaves also contributed, Doncic remained the centerpiece of the Lakers’ offense.
Even with his absence, Doncic is still expected to capture his second NBA scoring title. However, he has played only 64 games this season, leaving him just one game short of the NBA’s 65-game minimum required for major postseason awards.
That threshold could affect Doncic’s eligibility for All-NBA honors and MVP consideration. He had been widely viewed as a lock for All-NBA and was gaining momentum in MVP discussions following his dominant stretch.
Doncic’s missed games include absences for injury management earlier in the season and four games missed due to the previous hamstring strain. He also missed two games in December while traveling to Slovenia for the birth of his second child and served a one-game suspension last week after accumulating 16 technical fouls.
Because of those circumstances, Doncic could potentially challenge the 65-game rule through the grievance process, although it remains unclear whether such an appeal would succeed.
Historically, it is rare for the NBA’s scoring leader to miss All-NBA honors. Only two players — Elvin Hayes in 1969 and Bob McAdoo in 1976 — have won scoring titles without earning All-NBA recognition.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said Doncic initially suffered the injury during the first half against Oklahoma City. Although cleared to return, Doncic played only a few minutes before aggravating the injury. He spun during a play, stopped suddenly, and fell to the floor in pain, forcing his exit.
The loss to Oklahoma City marked just the Lakers’ third defeat in 19 games since late February. However, Doncic’s injury casts uncertainty over the team’s postseason outlook.
Los Angeles currently holds a narrow one-game lead over fourth-place Denver, while sixth-place Minnesota remains within striking distance. The Lakers’ final regular-season game is scheduled for April 12 at home against Utah.
The playoffs are expected to begin the following weekend, leaving limited time for Doncic’s recovery.
Without their leading scorer, the Lakers will lean on veteran leadership from LeBron James and additional production from Austin Reaves as they attempt to maintain playoff positioning.
Still, the team’s postseason hopes may ultimately depend on how quickly Doncic can recover from the hamstring injury.
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