OKLAHOMA CITY — The score wasn’t the only thing that made this the Lakers’ worst loss of the season.
Even more concerning than the Lakers’ 139-96 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday was watching superstar guard Luka Doncic hobble off the court with a left hamstring injury in the third quarter.
The 27-year-old guard was held to just 12 points and seven assists, and he committed six turnovers before he pulled up on a drive with 7:39 left in the third quarter. He grabbed at the back of his left leg and limped to the baseline, where he lowered himself to the court, rolled onto his back and covered his face. Concerned teammates surrounded him. Coach JJ Redick offered one hand to pull him to his feet.
Doncic will undergo an MRI scan Friday, Redick said, before the Lakers (50-27) play Doncic’s former team, the Dallas Mavericks, on Sunday. In a subdued locker room, the Lakers were left to wrestle with their largest margin of defeat since Nov. 27, 2023 amid the possibility of having to finish the regular season without the NBA’s leading scorer.
“At this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” said LeBron James, who had 13 points, six rebounds and two assists. “Especially — anybody on our team — but when you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. … I don’t know obviously what the case may be, so pray for the best for sure and a speedy recovery.”
Guard Austin Reaves shook off his own injury scare to finish with 15 points, one assist and four turnovers after grabbing at his left lower back for most of the first quarter. He said he overextended himself chasing a loose ball. He turned the ball over trying to connect with Deandre Ayton on the next possession, reaching immediately for his lower back after the pass went awry.
The Lakers had averaged just 12.6 turnovers per game since the All-Star break — the third-fewest in the NBA during that span — but committed 18 against the aggressive Thunder (61-16), who had 12 steals. The Lakers had eight turnovers in the first quarter, gifting the defending NBA champions 14 easy points and a 23-point first-quarter lead.
“That’s the game right there,” James said.
Doncic had just five points in the first quarter. He was one for six from the field. With 1:06 remaining in the second quarter, Doncic drove into the paint to fire a two-handed overhead pass to Luke Kennard for a corner three. As Kennard’s shot circled the rim and bounced out, Doncic grabbed at his left hamstring.
Doncic and Reaves were examined and treated at halftime and cleared to play, Redick said. Reaves returned with 9:40 remaining in the third quarter and grabbed his back after his first touch, but said after the game he felt “decent.”
With the Lakers (50-27) down 31 points at halftime, Redick said the plan was to give the banged-up stars about six minutes to see if they could cut into the lead.
Doncic was injured 4:21 into the third quarter. The Lakers were down 32.
“We’re not going to put a player at risk,” Redick said. “Those things happen.”
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, drives past Lakers star Luka Doncic during the first half Thursday.
(Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
Doncic missed four games because of a left hamstring injury in February and played through hamstring soreness against the Brooklyn Nets on March 27 as the Lakers put together a 15-2 record in March.
One of the only teams hotter than the Lakers entering Thursday was the Thunder, who had won 15 of their last 16 games. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated in the much-anticipated matchup of most valuable player contenders with 28 points on efficient 12-for-25 shooting in less than 30 minutes, with seven assists and seven rebounds.
Doncic recently surged into the MVP conversation after scoring 600 points last month, joining Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to achieve the feat in March. He was named Western Conference player of the month Thursday, adding another line to his MVP application.
But after limping off the court, Doncic is at risk of not being eligible for the coveted award. He played in his 64th game Thursday, needing one more appearance in the Lakers’ final five games, to reach the 65-game eligibility threshold.
