In an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Friday, Dave McMenamin provided a crucial update on the status of Lakers guard Luka Doncic. As he’s set to miss his fourth consecutive game tonight, his availability remains uncertain for Sunday’s All-Star game. The good news is, even if he’s unfit to play, Doncic could opt to make a short appearance on the court as a token of appreciation to the fans.
“The mild strain that he has in his hamstring usually comes with a diagnosis of rest and recovery of about 7-10 days. That time period puts him right up against this weekend and Sunday’s All-Star game,” said McMenamin. “I’m told he considers it a great honor that he’s a leading vote-getter for the first time in his eight-year career, amassing more than three million ballots.”
“We’ve seen situations like this before, like when I covered Kobe Bryant in the 2008 All-Star game. He dislocated his pinkie finger just before the All-Star game,” McMenamin added. “He ended up playing three minutes in the game, just as a token appearance, as a thank you to the fans. Perhaps that would be what we get from Luka on Sunday if he doesn’t feel fully recovered from that hamstring.”
Doncic is currently listed as day-to-day with a mild left hamstring strain. He suffered the injury back on February 5th, after playing just 16 minutes against the 76ers. He hasn’t played since, sticking to a strict recovery window that directly coincides with All-Star weekend. While he’s in the final stages of his rehab now, Luka is not going to risk further injury by pushing his body before it’s ready.
Sadly, it means Luka may not play at all this weekend despite being the leading vote-getter for the first time in his career. In an effort to make some appearance, he could pull a stunt similar to what Kobe Bryant did in 2008, when a finger injury limited his availability. He only suited up for a few minutes, but it was enough for fans both in the arena and at home to catch a glimpse of one of the biggest stars.
For Doncic, it’s a way he can show appreciation and love for his hometown fans, who showed up in droves to vote for his name this year. They didn’t suspect he might get injured before the game, but it’s been unavoidable for the Lakers this season as they continue to deal with multiple setbacks. With averages of 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 47.3% shooting and 34.5% shooting from three, Doncic’s injury is a major blow, and this All-Star break couldn’t come soon enough.
