The Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with injuries on multiple fronts, including superstar Luka Doncic, who is set to miss another game due to his hamstring injury.
In an injury report, the Lakers designated Doncic as out with a left hamstring strain, which will result in him missing Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.
However, according to ESPN’s reporter Dave McMenamin, he is still aiming for an appearance in the NBA All-Star game.
This will be Doncic’s fourth straight game missed due to injury, marking another chapter in his health issues that have kept him off the court.
Doncic missed Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, along with Austin Reaves and LeBron James. The Lakers were blown out without a primary offensive creator and a defense that continues to struggle.
James missed the Spurs’ game because it was the second of a back-to-back — the same went for Austin Reaves, who is nursing a calf injury and playing limited minutes to ease back into the rotation.
How do the Lakers feel about Luka Doncic’s injury?
Despite missing time on the court, the Lakers are not down on Doncic’s long-term prognosis, seemingly taking a cautious approach.
“The Lakers have been encouraged that it’s only a mild hamstring strain, but Luka’s never dealt with a hamstring injury before in his 8-year NBA career,” McMenamin added in his report.
“This has been a bit of a different rehab for him. Thursday against his former team, the Mavericks, is not out of the question. He certainly has some motivation to get back on the court in time to play in the All-Star Game this weekend.”
Doncic has played 42 games this season, averaging 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists, serving as the focal point of the team and powering the entire team.
He draws a high amount of fouls, leading to free-throw opportunities. Without Doncic on the court, more of a burden will fall on Reaves and James, who are not the healthiest players.
Reaves took on the higher usage, but it led to him picking up injuries, causing problems for the Lakers. Once both Doncic and Reaves get in sync and the roster is fully healthy, the Lakers could gel again and trend in the right direction.