CHICAGO – The Western Conference just took a dramatic turn as the 2025-26 NBA regular season nears its conclusion.
Los Angeles Lakers‘ superstar Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season with a left hamstring injury and his status for the postseason is uncertain.
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The Lakers announced on April 3 that Doncic has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The All-Star guard suffered the injury in a 139-96 road loss to defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points a game in 64 games. A five-time first-team All-NBA selection, Doncic will fall just short of the 65-game rule for postseason awards even though he’s been a league MVP candidate.
The Lakers (50-27) have posted a second straight 50-win season under second-year head coach JJ Redick, but are just a game ahead of the Denver Nuggets (49-28) for third in the West.
Los Angeles has the 17th toughest remaining NBA schedule with three of its last five games at home. The Lakers end a two-game road trip on April 5 against the Dallas Mavericks (24-52), who are out of playoff contention in 13th place in the West.
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They host Oklahoma City on April 7, face the Golden State Warriors on the road on April 9 and end their regular season with two home games versus the Phoenix Suns on April 10 and the Utah Jazz on April 12.
The Thunder (61-16) are atop the West with the NBA’s best record. They’re looking to hold off the San Antonio Spurs (59-18), who are second in the West and on an 11-game win streak.
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Courtside scenes of Phoenix Suns’ last game vs Spurs in 2025-26 season
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) drives in against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on March 19, 2026.
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Courtside scenes of Phoenix Suns’ last game vs Spurs in 2025-26 season
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) drives in against Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on March 19, 2026.
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Courtside scenes of Phoenix Suns’ last game vs Spurs in 2025-26 season
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) drives in under the arm of Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on March 19, 2026.
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Courtside scenes of Phoenix Suns’ last game vs Spurs in 2025-26 season
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) dribbles in front of San Antonio Spurs guard De’aaron Fox (4) in the first half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on March 19, 2026.
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Courtside scenes of Phoenix Suns’ last game vs Spurs in 2025-26 season
Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) in the first half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on March 19, 2026.
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Courtside scenes of Phoenix Suns’ last game vs Spurs in 2025-26 season
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the first half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on March 19, 2026.
The Warriors (36-41) are 10th in the conference, but two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry has been cleared to play after missing the last 27 games with a patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising in his right knee.
League sources confirm to The Arizona Republic that Curry is on track to return April 5 against the Houston Rockets (47-29), barring any setbacks.
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The Suns (42-35) stand seventh in the West and have clinched a play-in tournament slot, as Dillon Brooks (hand) and Mark Williams (foot) returned from injuries this week. They’re 3-8 in their last 11 games.
The Jazz (21-56) are next to last in the West. They’ve lost seven in a row and nine of their last 10 games.
The NBA regular season ends April 12. The play-in tournament is April 14-17. The playoffs start April 18.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Lakers rule out Luka Doncic for rest of regular season