Mar 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) reacts against the Boston Celtics in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images | Mady Mertens-Imagn Images
The Hawks came out hot in Brooklyn — and as they should against a very inexperienced Nets squad. Within five minutes, it was 16-4 good guys, and it didn’t look like the home team could put up any fight.
Atlanta was basically a hot knife to the soft butter of Brooklyn. They diced up the defense with great ball movement like this:
At the halfway point of the first quarter, the lead was now 22-8 and the Hawks didn’t look as though they’d slow down.
And the rain of fire continued throughout the quarter save for a last-minute flurry from the Nets. The team lost their focus, and they let a 35-17 edge dwindle to 35-25 after one quarter.
Spanning the two quarters, the Hawks ceded a 14-0 run, and they had no one but themselves to blame. Poor execution on offense and a handful of ugly turnovers turned a blowout back into a competitive game.
The Hawks eventually got it together and proved they’re the better team in this matchup. Plays like this from Daniels helped stem the tide:
At that point, the Hawk maintained a roughly 10-point lead for a while as the Nets continued to hang in the game with transition points and downhill slashing.
The Hawks opened the game back up with a flurry of turnovers forced from the starting unit. Dyson Daniels, alone, had four steals, and those became fast break points more often than not.
A made three to begin the next quarter made it 15-for-30 shooting from three for the Hawks tonight. And the Hawks basically ended the game at the three-point lead within the first four minutes of the quarters, with Corey Kispert in particular swishing the nets (pun intended) at will:
It was a drama-less end to the game, with the Hawks waiving the white flag with around five minutes left. Asa even Newell saw his first NBA action in almost two months in the blowout.
The Hawks won 141-107 in a game that ended up being fairly close for over three quarters.
CJ McCollum had 25 points on an efficient 8-for-12 shooting. Jalen Johnson added 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.
Atlanta returns home to take on the 3-seed New York Knicks on Monday.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 3: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolveson April 3, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Don’t look now, but the Sixers haven’t just won two games in a row, they’ve won two third quarters in a row.
Philadelphia took down the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103 Friday night.
They are now 43-34 and will remain in the sixth seed.
Paul George had the only good first half for Philly, leading them with 23 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
Tyrese Maxey came storming out of halftime to lead the Sixers with 21 points and eight assists shooting 7-of-13 from the floor. Joel Embiid was also able to shake off the first half to finish with 19 points and 13 rebounds going 6-of-17 from the floor.
VJ Edgecombe was never able to find much space, finishing with just eight points on nine shots. Bones Hyland and Julius Randle led the Wolves with 21 apiece.
Jaden McDaniels was out for the Wolves with a knee injury while the Sixers were only without Johni Broome (meniscus tear).
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
Despite getting some good looks the Sixers opened the game pretty sloppy. They had two turnovers, throwing the ball way behind its target. Embiid gave up a couple offensive rebounds and missed a couple shots that are normally automatic for him. Edgecombe and George both hit their first jumpers of the game, Maxey and Dominick Barlow were able to get out and run early, and Minnesota missed six of their first seven shots.
The Wolves did look like they had played the night before, but the Sixers defense was stellar to start the night, especially protecting the rim. They blocked several shots in the first — Maxey and Barlow each impressively denying a shot in transition. Embiid hit a jumper coming out of a timeout, but he still couldn’t find a rhythm. He had a three-point shot blocked and undid Maxey’s block by immediately turning it over. He was able to make up for that at least by swatting the following Wolves’ shot.
Barlow really was everywhere, pulling down seven rebounds in the quarter before having to sit with two fouls. George replaced him and broke down his defender off the dribble to nail a jumper on his first touch back before getting to the line the following possession. He tried to take Donte DiVincenzo off the dribble with the quarter winding down, but the ball got booted into the stands, a good summary of the offensive production from both teams so far. DiVincenzo hit a corner three on the other end to pull Minnesota within two.
Second Quarter
More solid stuff from George to start the second as he got himself a pull-up, found a cutting Adem Bona on the baseline, and got to the line again. The first player to get anything going offensively though was Bones Hyland. He ripped off 14 in the quarter, impressively drawing a foul on a floater before heating up from outside.
Kyle Anderson was also becoming a problem, getting a few floaters with that old guy at the YMCA bag. The Sixers’ offense had dried up despite a Maxey and Embiid lineup taking the floor. They went over three minutes without a basket in the half court. To pile on Embiid was grabbing his side after a Julius Randle drive, Maxey was favoring his back after getting tied up on a jump ball with Ayo Dosunmu, and George was bonked on the head by Rudy Gobert incidentally going up for a rebound.
Embiid’s 1-of-10 half would have looked a lot better if a couple shots didn’t rim out, but at the same time he was settling for a lot of jumpers. He only took three shots in the paint and was favoring his side for much of the second quarter, but the recovery he made to block a Dosunmu layup did look pretty good. George continued to be the only Sixer shooting it well though, and silly mistakes followed him as well such as getting T’d up for throwing the ball against the stanchion. After Anthony Edwards made that technical free throw, George hit two more as well to make it a six-point deficit at the break.
Third Quarter
On the first possession of the second half, Embiid made as many field goals as he had all first half, but Maxey came out of the half showing a bit more aggression. After he buried a three, he was able to get all the way to the rim for a layup. Another drive led to a wide open kick to Barlow but he couldn’t hit it. That remained the only flaw of Barlow’s night though as he was everywhere around the rim, swatting Gobert for his third block of the night.
Barlow was rewarded for those efforts immediately as Embiid hit him with a lob in transition. They were able to string a couple solid possessions on offense together and took the lead back after a George steal caused another fast break. That amounted to a 10-0 Sixers run that ironically was halted after the Sixers won a challenge to take possession back.
With the Sixers shooting under 20% from three for most of the night, anytime the Wolves made a couple in a row it looked like the game could get out of hand. Embiid and Maxey kept going back to their two-man game and it finally started to pay off for them. Maxey hitting shots early in the quarter opened up space for whichever one of the two was catching the drop off from the other. Feeling the need for more size, the Sixers played Embiid with Andre Drummond for the last couple minutes of the quarter. They held the Wolves to one point over that stretch, going on a 15-1 run to go up by 12.
Fourth Quarter
The minutes with just Drummond started a bit rockier. He gave up a few offensive rebounds, including one he had secured that Randle was able to turn into a jump ball. He did steal the ball off Edwards though, put back a dunk, and threw a nice hit ahead pass as Quentin Grimes was trying his hardest to push the pace. All in all, Drummond ended up being a +11 in his nine minutes of play.
It helped that the Wolves gave them of plenty of opportunities, but the Sixers constantly being able to get on the fast break is why they were able to pull away. It was the only time Edgecombe found space to do anything. Minnesota kept a lid on him in the half court for much of the night.
Right after he and Maxey checked back in, Embiid fouled Dosunmu on a three-point attempt, the four-point play making it just a 10-point game with still over four minutes to go. An ugly turnover by George allowed them to cut it to seven a few possessions later. Edgecombe was able to get to the basket for a layup, his best look in the half-court since the first possession of the game. Kelly Oubre Jr. did the same and got fouled in the processs, converting the and-1. Oubre answered four more Wolves points with a three in the corner and one more from the top of the key on the following possession to put the game away.
Sacramento Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for the month of March, the league announced.
Raynaud was selected by the Kings in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft with the 42nd overall pick, out of Stanford.
In 15 games played and started in March, the former Cardinal star has averaged 17.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 33 minutes per game. He shot 59% on field goals and 78.4% at the free throw line.
Raynaud recorded six 20-point performances, including two 30-point games, and led all rookies with six double-doubles.
Raynaud scored a career-high 32 points versus the San Antonio Spurs on March 17. He followed the performance with another 30-point game, against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 19.
He became the fourth rookie in Kings history to record back-to-back 30-point games. Tyreke, Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas and De'Aaron Fox didn't do that. Raynaud is the first since Walt Williams in 1993.
He also joined Cooper Flagg as one of two rookies to record consecutive 30-point games this season.
In March, Raynaud totaled 268 points and 128 rebounds, becoming one of three rookies in NBA history to total at least 250 points and 125 rebounds on 59% or better from the field. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Otis Thorpe are the others.
Raynaud is ranked No. 4 on USA TODAY Sports' NBA Rookie Rankings. Overall, he's averaged 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds on 56% field goal shooting, 30% from 3 and 78% on free throws.
Raynaud currently ranks first among rookies in double-doubles (17), second in total rebounds (507), third in field goal percentage (56.5%) and seventh in total points (822).
NEW YORK (AP) — New York center Karl-Anthony Towns was held out of the Knicks' game Friday night against the Chicago Bulls because of a right elbow impingement.
Towns was in a good mood as he participated in pregame warmups and took a couple of shots. However, he stood in front of the visitor’s bench and grabbed his elbow before he walked off the court toward the home locker room.
The All-Star center is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds. He was replaced by Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Tre Johnson #12 of the Washington Wizards drives against Pelle Larsson #9 of the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center on March 10, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have about 9 percent change to win this game. This sort of says it all about the Wizards since the All-Star Break.
Let’s hit the preview!
Game Info
When: Saturday, April 4 at 3 p.m. ET
Where: Kaseya Arena, Miami, FL
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network or NBA League Pass (the Miami broadcast is quite good)
How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM.
Injury Report
Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly, Tristan Vukcevic, Tre Johnson (Day-to-Day), Trae Young, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore (Out)
Heat: Tyler Herro (Day-To-Day), Norman Powell, Terry Rozier (Out)
Pregame notes
Injury Report — It might have been easier for this preview to list the Non-Injury Report, i.e., who is actually available! I can’t remember when I last saw such a long injury list, even on the tanking Wizards… The Wizards will have essentially a G-League team roll out tomorrow.
Historic losing streak — Thankfully, there is a team called the Utah Jazz. Otherwise, the Wizards would now be on a 20+ game losing streak. Thankfully, also, the season is nearing its end, so the Wizards might not break any more negative records this season. But, on the bright side, development time! Playing time for those youngsters.
Flashback: Wizards defeat Heat… in the Beal era
Here are the highlights of the game the Wizards managed to win against the Heat, at home, and with Beal…. so much has changed since (and Kyle Lowry isn’t there anymore either…). Nostalgia!
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 5: Anthony Black #0 of the Orlando Magic drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 5, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (24-52) are at home on Friday night after a two-day rest and will take on the Orlando Magic (40-36). Dallas got ran off the court on Tuesday in a road game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Magic lost a nail-biter to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night
Here are the main things you need to know:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Orlando Magic
WHAT: Dallas tries to end a long, long home losing streak
WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
WHEN: 7:30 pm CST
HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
The injury report for the Mavericks once againt has the team missing several rotation players. PJ Washington is out with an illness. Caleb Martin still has issues with his plantar fascia. Marvin Bagley will miss the game with a shoulder issue. Moussa Cisse won’t be playing as Dallas is trying to use his limited availability down to the final game. Tyler Smith and John Poulakidas will suit up.
The Magic will be without Dallas native (and MMB favorite) Anthony Black. Jonathan Isaac will also miss this game due to illness.
The Mavericks are riding a 13 game home losing streak, which is pretty hard to do. They’ve also beaten the Orlando Magic 14 straight times, so if Dallas wins they snap one bad streak and keep another good one alive. There’s not a ton to watch for in this game. We’ll find something to talk about either way.
Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
The team announced that Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, which he suffered on April 2 in the Lakers’ blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Doncic has missed 13 games this season. In missing the final games of the regular season, his total will reach 18. Based on NBA rules, a player becomes ineligible for awards if they are inactive for 18 or more games during the season. He needs to be credited for one more game as an active participant to meet the 65-game threshold.
Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, expects to appeal Doncic’s total number of games missed.
“To ensure that Luka’s incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an 'Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge' to the 65-game rule,” Duffy said in a statement to ESPN.
The six-time All-Star missed two games in December to be present for the birth of his child in Slovenia.
“His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances,” Duffy said. “We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.”
An arbitrator would rule on it after the regular season, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
Doncic has averaged a league-leading 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game in 64 games played this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While there are many ramifications of that injury, particularly when it comes to the Lakers’ postseason hopes, the injury coming in Luka’s 64th game this season leaves him just one game shy of being eligible for postseason awards. While he likely wasn’t going to win MVP — though he would definitely have finished in the top five — he was a near lock to be named All-NBA First Team.
As things stand right now, he would not be eligible to be selected. However, Shams Charania of ESPN also relayed a statement from Luka’s agent, Bill Duffy, in which he noted that they would be applying for an Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge for the 65-game rule.
Here is the full statement:
“This season, Luka Dončić has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory. To ensure that Luka’s incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge” to the 65-game rule. Luka missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia. His daughter was born on Dec. 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on Dec. 6. Luka has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season. His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances. We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.”
Luka missed the team’s games in Toronto on Dec. 4 and Boston on Dec. 5 for the birth of his daughter in Slovenia. He rejoined the team on Dec. 6 and played against the Sixers on Dec. 7.
In the CBA, here is a snippet of how the Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge is explained
(i) To prevail in an Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge in respect of a Season, the player bears the burden of proving that:
(A) Due to extraordinary circumstances, it was impracticable for him to play in one (1) or more of the Regular Season game(s) that he missed during such Season;
(B) He would have satisfied the Award Eligibility Criterion set forth in Section 6(a)(1) above if he had played in every game that he missed due to the extraordinary circumstances (i.e., assuming that he would have played twenty (20) minutes in each such missed game);
Effectively, the argument will be that because Luka had to fly to another continent to be at his child’s birth, he missed multiple games he might otherwise have played. And considering he is just one game short of being eligible and he missed two games, it would likely strengthen his argument.
Front office insider Bobby Marks of ESPN also shares the belief that Luka could have a good case here.
FYI
I would say Luka has a good case based on the below rules.
Missing 2 games for the birth of your child should meet the extraordinary circumstances language below. https://t.co/0ZUvuV2JUp
This does not ultimately change the impact the team is going to feel in the postseason without Luka. However, it would allow Luka to be properly recognized for his brilliance.
You can not tell the story of the 2025-26 NBA season without including Luka and hopefully this route will allow him to be rightfully included in award voting.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 22: Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls drives against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the second half at the United Center on February 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight, the Knicks (49*-28) host the Chicago Bulls (29-47) at Madison Square Garden. The matchup is important for New York as they fight to maintain the third seed ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers and face four tough games on the remaining slate. As of this writing, both Josh Giddey and Tre Jones are questionable for Chicago, and most their roster is on crutches.
Tip-off at 7:30 PM ET on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Blog a Bull. Please don’t post illegal streams or large, kinky pics of your doberman. And go the Knicks!
* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup was infested with ants.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 7: Danny Wolf #2 and Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrate after winning the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 7, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Speaking to reporters ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernández announced that Danny Wolf and Michael Porter Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2025–26 season.
Michael Porter Jr. and Danny Wolf are out for the rest of the season, per Jordi Fernandez. #Nets#NBA
Wolf was shut down with a left ankle injury, while the team opted not to rush Porter Jr. back before the season’s conclusion as he deals with a left hamstring injury. Including tonight’s matchup against Atlanta, Brooklyn has just six games remaining on their calender.
In addition to MPJ and Wolf, the Nets have already lost Egor Demin (plantar fascia), Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb) and Grant Nelson (knee) for the season.
In his first year with Brooklyn, Porter Jr. appeared in 52 games and delivered the most productive season of his career in multiple statistical categories. He averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and a career-high three assists while sdhooting 46% from the field and 36% from 3-point range.
Due to those numbers, many believed he was snubbed by voters who chose the league’s All-Star game participants.
Starting July 6, he’ll be eligible for an extension of up to four years and $234 million. On one side, he looks like a cornerstone piece for a team like the Nets in need of high-end talent. Most pundits believe MPJ, who turns 28 in June, is unlikely to get those numbers but he will earn $40.8 million next season on an expiring.
Yossi Gozlan of capsheets.com has said he’s more likely to get around $44 million to start his next deal. That would work out to somewhere around $160 to $170 million or so, depending whether they want to front-load his deal as they did with their last three big restricted free agents: Joe Harris, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson.
As for Wolf, his rookie season is now in the books. Throughout 57 games (15 starts) with Brooklyn, the 27th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft averaged 8.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while converting 40.5% of his field goal attempts and 32.2% of his tries from beyond the arc.
Like fellow rookies Drake Powell and Ben Saraf, the Michigan product flashed intriguing upside, although it wasn’t sustained over long stretches.
Still, there’s plenty to like and for fans to be optimistic about heading into Year 2 of his professional career.
With the season winding down, all eyes will quickly shift to the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.
This is exactly what the Lakers and their fans feared when they saw Luka Doncic pull up and grab his hamstring in the third quarter Thursday night.
Doncic has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will be out for the remainder of the regular season, the Lakers announced. While the Lakers did not discuss the playoffs — which begin April 18, just more than two weeks away — a Grade 2 strain typically takes at least three weeks to heal, and more often players are out for a month or more.
Luka Doncic Injury Update: The Lakers star has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. A G2 strain is also known as a partial or incomplete tear. The average time lost for this type of injury is 35 days (~14.7 games).
This injury could have a couple of significant impacts.
The first is on the Lakers' playoff seeding and first-round matchup. Los Angeles is currently the No. 3 seed in the West, just one game ahead of No. 4 seed Denver and 2.5 games ahead of No. 5 seed Houston (Minnesota is sixth). The advantage for the Lakers is that Denver has the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, but the Lakers have some challenging games remaining in the final nine days of the season, including against the Thunder, Suns, and Warriors with Stephen Curry back in the lineup. If the Lakers go into any playoff series in the West without Doncic for at least the first few games, they will be heavy underdogs.
The other is Doncic's MVP and First Team All-NBA case. Doncic has played in 64 games, one shy of the league's mandated 65-game threshold to qualify for postseason awards. As it stands, if he misses the rest of the regular season, he would be ineligible for any postseason honors, even though voters would put him there. (ESPN’s MVP straw poll that came out Friday had Doncic fourth in that race.)
There is a potential exception for Doncic, the "extraordinary circumstances challenge." That challenge states that if "it was impractical for the player to play in one or more of the [missed] games" and the player would have reached 65 games if he had played in those games, an independent arbiter (selected by the league and player's union) can grant him an exception. Doncic missed two games in December for the birth of his child.
"This season, Luka Dončić has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory. To ensure that Luka's incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league's end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an "Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge" to the 65-game rule. Luka missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia. His daughter was born on Dec. 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on Dec. 6. Luka has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season. His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night's unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances. We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter."
Doncic has played at an MVP-level this season, averaging a league-leading 33.8 points per game, while adding 7.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists a night. He has been the driving force behind the Lakers being one of the hottest teams in the league down the stretch.
The injury occurred in the third quarter Thursday night of a Thunder blowout win against the Lakers. Doncic tried to drive on OKC's Jalen Williams, stopped sharply for what appeared to be one of his trademark pull-up jumpers, but then instantly dropped the ball and grabbed his hamstring in pain. Soon after he limped directly to the locker room,l and was clearly very emotional about the injury.
Issues with his left hamstring have been a season-long story for Doncic. He injured that hamstring prior to the season, missed four games because of it during the season, and has had on-and-off hamstring soreness since before the All-Star Game. In February, he had an MRI on his left hamstring, but that did not show anything that caused him to miss time.
Now, unfortunately, he is going to miss a lot of time at the biggest moment of the season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 29: Nolan Traore #88 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after scoring a three point basket during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Barclays Center on March 29, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Pamela Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Six games left and then Nets fans can look forward to the NBA Lottery. They’ve officially shutdown Michael Porter Jr. and Danny Wolf for the remainder of the season. In the meantime, there’s still games to be played, minutes to be earned, lottery odds to keep an eye on.
🏀 KEY INFO
Who: Atlanta Hawks (44-33) at Brooklyn Nets (18-58) When: 7:30 PM ET Watch: YES Network / Gotham Sports App
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts from the floor after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The worst possible news has arrived for the Lakers as Luka Dončić will reportedly miss the rest of the regular season with a left hamstring strain.
He is out indefinitely, meaning that his status for the postseason is now in question.
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is out indefinitely due to a left hamstring injury, sources tell me and @mcten. He will miss the remainder of the regular season and his status is uncertain beyond that. pic.twitter.com/qQTVAfPpWB
Luka’s hamstring has been diagnosed as a Grade 2 strain, which is likely why there is no timetable for his return. The average injury time for a Grade 2 strain is typically over a month.
Luka Doncic Injury Update: The Lakers star has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. A G2 strain is also known as a partial or incomplete tear. The average time lost for this type of injury is 35 days (~14.7 games).
This isn’t the first time Luka has dealt with a hamstring strain this season.
Before the All-Star break, Dončić missed games due to a mild hamstring strain that was considered day-to-day. He still played in the All-Star Game and returned to action after the break, but is now once again dealing with a hamstring injury.
Considering how tricky recovery for a hamstring strain is, the Lakers will undoubtedly proceed with an abundance of caution with this injury to their superstar guard.
With Luka out, the Lakers’ hopes for a strong end to the season and a playoff run are essentially dashed. He is clearly their best player and was having an MVP-caliber season.
Luka was averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game.
Apr 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) looks on after a foul against the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Your Atlanta Hawks (44-33) take on the pesky but undermanned Brooklyn Nets (18-58).
Jock Landale (ankle sprain) has been ruled out.
Starting lineup:
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York, NY
Start Time: 7:30 PM EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)
But outside of the Lakers, Doncic’s injury could also have ripple effects throughout the NBA once it’s time to vote for end-of-season awards because of the league’s requirement for certain league honors.
Doncic, who had an outside shot at competing for league MVP and was likely to be named to the All-NBA first team for the sixth time in his career, will be one game shy of the 65 games played required to be eligible for end-of-season awards after the Lakers announced on Friday that Doncic will miss the remainder of the regular season because of a Grade 2 strained hamstring.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
There’s an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge” clause in the league’s collective bargaining agreement that would allow for Doncic to file a grievance over missing two games in December due to the birth of his daughter. An arbitrator’s ruling would come after the regular season ends.
Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME, confirmed to ESPN that they’ll apply for the challenge to ensure Doncic remains eligible for end-of-season awards.
But Doncic shouldn’t be in this position in the first place.
Nor should Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham or Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards, both of whom dealt with circumstances that will likely make them ineligible for league awards.
Or the countless other stars who’ve already been disqualified from awards voting, or who have to play either every game or all but one game down the stretch of the season to remain eligible, such as Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 30, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham looks on during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn ImagesIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesIsaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors on April 1, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images
This isn’t to say having a games threshold for league awards isn’t a good thing.
But it’s an acknowledgment that adjustments are necessary to give the league the best shot possible at having end-of-season award ballots represent the most impactful players for that respective season.
The suggested adjustments that should be made in order for that to happen: Lower the games-played threshold to 58.
And include a minutes played exception clause for players who fall short of 58 games.
This isn’t a foreign concept.
Fifty-eight, or 70% of an 82-game season, are the number of games required to qualify for several statistical league leaders, such as scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, blocked shots and minutes.
If Doncic didn’t play another game this season, he’d likely be recognized as the scoring leader for the second time in his career, with a league-high scoring average of 33.5 points, but wouldn’t be eligible for All-NBA.
What sense does that make?
Luka Doncic left the Lakers loss to the Thunder with an injury. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Before the league introduced the 65-games-played threshold for major end-of-season awards starting with the 2023-24 season — in hopes of having more star players available — the league already had a decade-long precedent for what was required for other league honors.
It’s time for the league to be more consistent on this front.
Clauses already exist allowing players to be eligible for end-of-season awards if they don’t reach the current 65-game threshold, just as exceptions exist if a player doesn’t play in 58 games to qualify as a statistical leader.
The proposed exception for players falling short of the suggested 58 games played for end-of-season awards is a 1,624-minutes-played requirement across the season, equivalent to 28 minutes per game.
Yes, star players such as Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo would still remain ineligible for end-of-season awards because they’d fall short of both the suggested games and minutes played thresholds.
But players such as Doncic, Edwards and Cunningham would still be able to receive consideration for awards meant to honor star players who led their respective teams for most of the season.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Getty Images
As Lakers coach JJ Redick put it, having guidance for voters is helpful.
And there may not be a perfect answer for the threshold required to be eligible for end-of-season awards.
There’s always going to be a player, or players, who fall short of the requirements.
But what’s in place now isn’t working as intended. A lower threshold would help all stakeholders.
