The Los Angeles Lakers lost 119-109 to the Golden State Warriors in their season opener at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. While the loss itself was a bit concerning, the bigger worry after the game was a potential injury to Luka Doncic. Doncic was seen holding his groin in the fourth quarter, but he eased fears in his postgame press conference.
“It’s probably nothing,” Doncic said. “Just felt a little bit because my hip went that way. Felt it a little bit, probably nothing.”
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed Doncic arrived for his press conference almost an hour and a half after the final buzzer. The reason? Well, the 26-year-old was receiving treatment on the inside of his right leg.
Doncic thinks there is nothing to be worried about, but Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT, disagrees. Jeffries stated on X that there is reason to be concerned.
“Luka Doncic had 43 points in 41 minutes, but towards the end of the game, he kept grabbing his right groin,” Jeffries stated. “This is something to be concerned [about] moving forward.”
Did Luka Doncic injure his right adductor (GROIN) 👇 pic.twitter.com/qZ475gFVP4
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) October 22, 2025
If Doncic looks to be in discomfort in the coming games, then there would indeed be a reason to be worried. He missed 22 straight games last season with a calf injury, and the Lakers would be hoping there isn’t anything close to a repeat of that, as LeBron James is already sidelined due to sciatica.
You knew Doncic was going to have to carry a big load in James’ absence, and he put in a terrific performance against the Warriors. The five-time All-Star finished with 43 points (17-27 FG), 12 rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and one block on the night.
There was a lot of talk about Doncic’s physical transformation over the summer, and he did look great in the opener. A performance like that gets you the win on most nights, but he just didn’t get much help.
Austin Reaves put up 26 points, but 13 of those came in the final 10 minutes when the Warriors had built up a double-digit lead. Deandre Ayton was the only other Laker to get to double digits, as he recorded 10 points. This certainly wasn’t a debut to remember for the big man, who also had four turnovers.
The Lakers will need more production out of their role players in James’ absence. Even Doncic, for as great as he is, can only do so much.
The 0-1 Lakers are in action next against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on Friday at 10 PM ET. The Timberwolves, of course, were the ones who knocked them out in five games in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. It will be interesting to see what adjustments the Lakers have made to counter the challenges posed by the Anthony Edwards-led outfit.
