The Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2025-26 season officially ended on Monday, with the Oklahoma City Thunder beating them 115-110 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals at Crypto.com Arena. Taking down this Thunder juggernaut was always going to be very difficult for the Lakers, and the task was made all the harder by Luka Doncic missing the entire series.
Doncic was out of action due to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, and he spoke in his postgame press conference about his frustrations over missing time and also some reports that had come out.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said, via Infanity TV. “I know some people wanted me back, but obviously, I wasn’t close to clearing. There was some stuff in the media that went out that wasn’t true. Nobody of those people saw my MRIs, know nothing. So, it wasn’t really true. If I could be out there, I would be 100%. Everybody in that room knows that. But it’s been really tough.
“Like I said, this is the best time to play basketball,” Doncic continued. “I was sad not to be able to help my team. And looking to the offseason, obviously, I’m still doing recovery. So, that’s the first thing.”
Doncic had suffered this hamstring problem during the 139-96 loss to the Thunder on April 2. The average recovery time for this injury is about four to six weeks, and the Slovenian even went to Europe for specialized treatment, as he looked to expedite his return. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out the way he’d hoped.
What’s quite interesting about Doncic calling out the media is that most of the reporting was actually accurate. Before the playoffs began, there was talk about the six-time All-Star returning from injury during the first round series against the Houston Rockets.
After Game 1, though, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Lakers are not expecting Doncic to be back against the Rockets. That appeared to spell doom for them, but they still went on to win the series in six games.
Then, in the lead-up to this Thunder matchup, Charania reported Doncic would miss the start of the series. He added that the recovery was slow and that the 27-year-old hadn’t started full-fledged running or full-contact workouts.
A day after Game 1, Doncic finally spoke to the media and revealed that a doctor had given him an eight-week recovery timeline after his first MRI. He shared that he had started running, but had not been cleared for full contact.
With the Lakers only having a day off for Games 2, 3, 4, and 5, it seemed fairly obvious Doncic wasn’t going to be back in time. There weren’t any remotely credible media reports that came out during this series that claimed he would be able to play, so it is unclear what he is referring to.
Doncic did come under fire from wrestling icon Ric Flair for not playing against the Thunder, but he wasn’t criticizing him based on any reports. Flair couldn’t believe that this player, who made $46 million in salary this season, couldn’t push himself to play. That was just absurd, though.
Playing through hamstring injuries only makes matters worse. No one should ever fault a player or a team for erring on the side of caution. In Doncic’s case, it turns out he is still some ways away from getting fully healthy.
“I’m doing the lifting, I’m doing running and shooting, but I haven’t done contact and those stuff,” Doncic said. “I wasn’t clear yet. So those stuff will come in the next week or two, probably.”
It would have been incredibly foolish for Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 2025-26, to try to play at this stage in his recovery. It is disappointing for the season to end in a sweep at the hands of the Thunder, but his long-term health is what’s most important.
Doncic will be taking the summer off, too, as he isn’t playing for Slovenia in the upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers. He announced he won’t play for his country as he focuses on his ongoing custody battle for his two daughters, Gabriela and Olivia. Doncic had split from their mother and his longtime fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, earlier this year. This time off should lead to him being fresh for 2026-27.
