DHJ Quick Take
Double Blow for L.A.: April 2 proved disastrous for the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring a massive 43-point blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and a left hamstring injury to star Luka Dončić.
Pending Medical Results: Dončić is scheduled for an MRI to assess the severity of the injury after being forced out of the game in the third quarter.
LeBron’s Support: LeBron James expressed his concern, noting that such an injury is “the last thing you want to see” for an MVP candidate this late in the season.
April 2 was a rough, rough day for the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only did LeBron James and Co. get blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder by 43 points, but Luka Dončić also suffered a left hamstring injury in the third quarter.
Dončić will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. James, who is close with Dončić, is hoping for the best.
“At this point, at this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” James said after the Lakers-Thunder game. “When you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. So, pray for the best, for sure, and a speedy recovery.”
Dončić played 26 minutes against the Thunder before getting hurt. He finished with 12 points, four rebounds and seven assists while shooting 3-of-10 from the field, 1-of-7 from beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
The Lakers dropped to 50-27 after getting destroyed by the Thunder. Dončić leads the NBA in points and points per game in his first full season with Los Angeles, but he’s probably not going to win MVP anymore after getting outplayed by OKC superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 30 minutes.
Los Angeles has five games left in the regular season. James, the oldest active player in the NBA, knows the team will stay together despite getting demolished by OKC.
“Nothing has changed,” James said. “We still will be [together]. Obviously we’ll be tested with the head of the snake [missing]. … But nothing is rattled. It’s one game, it’s part of the NBA season, it’s the defending champions. We get it. We understand.”
The Lakers have already clinched a playoff berth, so they will be the third, fourth, fifth or sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. If Dončić misses time, James and Austin Reaves will have to take their games to another level.
Los Angeles faces the Dallas Mavericks, Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz to close out the regular season. Along with Dončić, Marcus Smart is injured for the Lakers.
“There’s never a time to get comfortable in this league,” James said. “The only thing we do know is that we won’t be in the play-in, so we have that week. But health is wealth.”