Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.
As the game was approaching halftime, Doncic left the court early with what appeared to be a hamstring-related setback. The superstar guard appeared to have a limp on his way out.
While Doncic has avoided injuries that are severe enough to force him to miss time lately, the Lakers’ star has battled through a handful of ailments throughout the year. Thursday’s setback could be just another concern to keep an eye on for All-Star.
Doncic left the game after appearing in 16 minutes. He was struggling with his shot, making just three out of 10 field goals, missing all four of his three-point attempts. He had 10 points, two assists, four rebounds, and five turnovers.
Will Luka Doncic Return vs 76ers?
When the Lakers took the floor for the start of the second half, Doncic wasn’t seen. The Lakers rolled out Rui Hachimura to play in his place with the starting five.
The team officially ruled out Doncic for the remainder of the game shortly after. The early diagnosis was leg soreness. The Lakers will attempt bounce back in the final two quarters against a thriving 76ers team.
The last time Doncic missed a game was during the Lakers’ January 17 outing against the Portland Trail Blazers. It was a one-game absence, as Doncic was back on the court the following night to face the Toronto Raptors.
At the time, the Lakers were firing up an eight-game road trip. During that time, the Lakers achieved a 5-3 record. Doncic was seeing the court for 34 minutes per game. He was producing 33.6 points per game, along with 9.1 assists and 9.5 rebounds per outing. The veteran guard shot 38 percent from deep.
After the Lakers picked up their 30th win of the season on February 3 against the Brooklyn Nets, they started Thursday’s action with a struggle against the Sixers. Going into halftime, Los Angeles trailed 59-51, and they were uncertain about the status of Doncic.
To no surprise, Doncic is a major reason for the Lakers’ success this year. Leading up to Thursday’s game, Doncic appeared in 41 matchups, shooting 47 percent from the field and averaging 33.4 points per game, along with 8.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds.
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