Luka Doncic seemed to have flared up his left hamstring in the third quarter of the Lakers’ embarrassing showcase in Oklahoma’s Paycom Center tonight as they got bulldozed 96-139 in a 43-point loss to the defending champions.
Luka Doncic seems to pull up because of his left hamstring
This is the SAME hamstring he hurt prior in the season. If it’s a strain timeline is dependent on severity
Grade I: 1-2 weeks
Grade II: 3-6 weeks pic.twitter.com/VdFWqz2snl
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) April 3, 2026
Following the game, JJ Redick confirmed that the Lakers will get an MRI done on Doncic tomorrow to understand the severity of the injury. Renowned physical therapist, Dr. Evan Jeffries, who is also the NBA and NFL’s injury insider, gave his opinions on the injury situation, which also included estimated timelines for Doncic’s return based on how severe his hamstring injury is.
“Luka Doncic seems to pull up because of his left hamstring. This is the same hamstring he hurt earlier in the season. If it’s a strain, the timeline is dependent on severity. Grade I: 1-2 weeks, Grade II: 3-6 weeks,” wrote Jeffries on X.
When the Lakers faced the 76ers in February, Doncic was injured in the same spot and therefore the concerns that arise now are a bit more severe. He ended up missing four games back then but also got 15 days of rest due to the All-Star weekend.
The Slovenian superstar exited the game tonight with 12 points, four rebounds, seven assists and one steal. He shot 3-10 from the field (30.0 FG%) and 1-7 from beyond the arc (14.3 3P%). An inefficient night capped off with this injury just seems like a part of a nightmare for Doncic.
The Lakers have five games left in the season over the next 10 days. Therefore it is potentially possible that Doncic’s regular season has ended tonight. But the Lakers’ fans will stay hopeful that Doncic’s absence does not extend into the playoffs.
Unless the Lakers drop three games over the remaining five, they should have the home-court advantage secured for the playoffs. Their matchup among the Rockets and the Timberwolves depends on whether they finish third or fourth in the West.
Following this loss, the Lakers have fallen to 50-27 for the season and are now headed to Dallas to face the Mavericks. This would definitely have been a game where Doncic would’ve liked to play and ball out against his former team, considering the hot streak he was on.
Over the last 10 games before tonight, Doncic was averaging 40.8 points, 7.5 assists and 7.4 rebounds before this unfortunate night put an end to what could’ve been a historic run. If Luka Doncic is unable to play, the Lakers’ chances of making it past the first round of the NBA playoffs appear slim.
On average, he contributes between 50 to 60 points per game, or nearly half of the team’s offensive output (combining points scored off assists). Although the Lakers have LeBron James and Austin Reaves, neither player has been as reliable as Doncic this season.
