How Long Will Luka Doncic Be Out Following Hamstring Injury Against Thunder?

Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in their blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

How Long Will Luka Doncic Be Out Following Hamstring Injury Against Thunder?

Luka Doncic choked on a game-winning 3-pointer (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Luka Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
  • He is at risk of missing the NBA's 65-game eligibility rule for end-of-season awards.
  • LeBron James may need to take on a larger role with Doncic sidelined as the playoffs approach.

Just when it looked like everything was going great for Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the postseason, they have been hit with a huge setback. Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain as the Lakers were blown away 139-96 by the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, at the Paycom Center on Thursday night.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick confirmed that his star player tweaked his hamstring in the first half but was cleared to continue in the second.

We checked him out, he got worked on, he was clear…we’re not gonna put a player at risk. Those things happen.

JJ Redick in his post-match press conference

The injury took place in the third quarter when Luka Doncic pulled up during an offensive possession and limped off the court. It was a non-contact injury, and it’s the same left hamstring that forced him to miss some games earlier this season.

On a difficult night against the Thunder that saw them down by 31 points as they gave up 82 points in the first half, it was a bit surprising that Redick decided to play Doncic in the second half after he had already tweaked his hamstring. But the move seems to have backfired now.

The Slovenian has been playing at an MVP level over the last few weeks and is the main reason why the Lakers have been red hot since the beginning of March. It was the Lakers’ third loss in 18 games since March, and prior to the game on Thursday, Doncic was averaging 37.5 points, eight rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.3 steals. However, despite Doncic’s otherworldly performances, he dropped to fourth in the latest MVP Ladder, much to the surprise of many.

Luka Doncic at risk of missing NBA 65-game rule

The Lakers have secured their spot in the playoffs. With just five games to go in the 2025-26 regular season, Luka Doncic has played 64 games so far this season. This is a concern for the Lakers’ point guard as he is one game short of the 65-game rule. Hence, he would be ineligible for end-of-season awards and honors.

Luka Doncic after pulling his hamstring
Luka Doncic after pulling his hamstring (Image credits – Basket USA/X)

The NBA’s 65-game rule officially started in the 2023-24 season. Players have to play in at least 65 games to be eligible. The 65-game rule has split the NBA community. While several fans praised the rule as the league was facing issues when it came to load management, many were unhappy with the rule as it could cost deserving players some awards and honors, like in the case of Doncic.

It is highly likely that Doncic has played his last game of the regular season. With just five games to go, the Lakers would not want to risk playing Doncic with the playoffs approaching.

LeBron James reacts to Luka Doncic’s injury

With Doncic ruled out for some time, it is expected that LeBron James may take up a bigger role with five games to go. While their place in the playoffs is assured, the Denver Nuggets are right behind them at fourth place. The Nuggets are on a seven-match winning streak and are just one game behind the Lakers at the moment.

Following the loss, James spoke about Doncic’s injury with the playoffs approaching.

When you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. The only thing we do know is that we won’t be in the play in so we have that week. But health is wealth. We already out with Marcus right now and now Luka. We don’t know what the timetable is. We’ll see.

LeBron James in his post-match media scrum

The game against the Thunder was the biggest loss of the Lakers’ season. They have lost all three of their games against the Thunder this season. The two sides are scheduled to clash for the final time in the regular season at the Crypto.com Arena on April 7.

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