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.
Feb 23, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) dribbles against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz
April 3, 2026
Location: Toyota Center – Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network,
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Online: Rockets App, SCHN+
Time: 7:00pm CST
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun
Ninety-nine seconds to turn a championship contender into a question mark. Ninety-nine seconds to flip the Lakers from dangerous to delicate.
Ninety-nine seconds to remind everyone how thin the line is between March momentum and April uncertainty.
Luka Doncic 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. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Getty Images
Because for five weeks, this thing felt real.
A 16-2 stretch. Third place in the Western Conference. Chemistry off the charts. The ball was moving. The defense was rotating, and the belief— that fragile, invisible fuel — filled every corner of the Lakers’ locker room.
But before those 99 seconds could run out, one moment changed everything.
Luka Doncic had already done his damage for the month — 600 points, a scoring binge that earned him Western Conference Player of the Month just hours before tipoff. He was the engine, the reason this entire Lakers experiment suddenly made sense.
Then late in the first quarter, he drove, stopped on a dime, let two defenders fly past him — and laid it in. But his hand immediately grabbed at his left hamstring.
He stayed in. He limped through the rest of the first half.
At halftime, head coach JJ Redick said the team’s training staff checked the hamstring. They worked on it. He was cleared to return.
“It was discussed at halftime. I wanted to give those guys about six minutes,” Redick said. “If we didn’t cut into the lead, I was going to pull them.”
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Six minutes.
The Lakers were down 32 to the reigning MVP and champions.
The game was already gone — LeBron James said as much after the first seven minutes of the opening quarter that saw the Thunder race out to a 25-9 lead like an F1 car redlining through open asphalt.
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The Lakers on the other hand? They were a broken down Fiat in need of repairs.
Bad energy. Worse execution. Eight turnovers. Poor transition defense that led to fast break points and second chances for OKC.
“That’s the game right there,” said James after the loss of those first seven minutes.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against 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
Why did Redick allow Doncic to push through the nagging injury when his team was down by as many as 35 points in the first half? Why even risk another six minutes to start the second?
With 7:39 remaining in the third quarter, 99 seconds before Redick said he was going to “pull him,” Doncic drove towards the basket on the left wing, stopped at the elbow, went up for a shot, but instead dropped the ball, grabbed his hamstring again and collapsed on the floor.
That 99 second difference between the injury taking place and when Redick was going to pull him now is the pivot point in a season that 24 hours earlier was full of promise.
That’s the moment this season may be remembered by.
That 16-2 stretch in their last 18 games, climbing from play-in purgatory to third place now feels like a mirage.
Their once-assumed home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs? Suddenly unstable.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers looks for an opening against Luguentz Dort the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Getty Images
The Lakers entered the night in sole possession of third, holding tiebreakers, controlling their destiny. Stay the course, and you’re hosting a first-round series against a manageable opponent.
But without Doncic? That floor collapses.
Fourth. Fifth. Sixth. All in play now. And with it, a potential first-round date with the Denver Nuggets — the worst possible matchup — and no home court to soften the blow.
And the ripples don’t stop there.
The MVP race? It’s over now.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was already the frontrunner, but Doncic had surged — from 100-1 odds to 20-1 in a week, closing ground with five games left, including another head-to-head against OKC. A strong finish, and the conversation changes entirely.
But now? It’s finished.
Even worse for Doncic? The math is cruel now based on an atrocious NBA rule.
Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday that will determine the severity of the hamstring injury, and with it just how dire the Lakers future looks.
A Grade 1 strain is 1-3 weeks. A Grade 2 strain is 3-6 weeks. A Grade 3 strain is unimaginable. Season over.
Regardless of the outcome, Doncic is done for the remainder of the regular season.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers grabs a rebound during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
He ends it with 64 total games played. One short of the league’s 65-game threshold to be eligible for major postseason awards like MVP, All-NBA, and All-Defensive teams.
For Doncic, that means no chance at MVP. No All-NBA First Team. No hardware. And more importantly, no financial escalators tied to those honors.
All of that hinged on 99 seconds.
And here’s the part that lingers, like a line you wish you could rewrite as you type it.
Two nights earlier, after beating Cleveland, Doncic was asked if he’d prefer to fast-forward to the postseason and skip the final stretch because everything was clicking for the Lakers. He was in the best scoring flow of his illustrious career, and the team did not need to risk injuries with six games left.
“No,” he said matter of factly. “We need some rest. We need to rest after the season, so I don’t want them to start now.”
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic hops to the side of the court during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The irony cuts clean.
Because now, rest is coming. Whether the Lakers can afford it or not.
Another important question to ask, is even if Doncic does return for the playoffs in exactly two weeks, what version of him will we see?
A compromised engine in a playoff race demands perfection. To play at the highest level it involves sprinting, cutting, stopping, absorbing contact. One misstep and Doncic reaggravates the injury. There’s no margin left.
Which brings us back to the beginning.
Ninety-nine seconds.
That’s all it took.
Not to lose a game that’s outcome was already decided.
But to potentially lose a once-in-a-generation player because of it, that now puts the entire season waiting on the results of an MRI. That verdict will echo far louder than anything that happened on the scoreboard in OKC.
Curry has averaged 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 39 games played this season, while shooting 46.8% from the field, 39.1% on 3-pointers and 93.1% on free throws.
The Warriors have posted a 9-18 record in those 27 games without Curry, including back-to-back home losses against the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers on April 1 and 2, respectively.
Prior to the Warriors' April 2 game against Cleveland, the team had a scrimmage which Curry participated in. Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters before the Warriors-Cavaliers game that Curry looked liked himself during the action.
"Everything went well. Yeah, he looked good," Kerr told reporters. "He’s pretty good. He looks like Steph Curry."
The Warriors have suffered a number of injuries in the 2025-26 season. So it's no question that getting their superstar and leader back would be huge, not just for the gameplay on court, but to the team morale, as well, Kerr said.
"Yeah, I mean he brings hope to a tough situation," Kerr told reporters. "I thought [Spurs'] game, we were never really in the game, but the guys fought, they competed, they stayed with it until the end. The vibe was good. When Steph’s around, the vibe tends to be better. It’s definitely better right now so hopefully we’ll have another good effort tonight and he’ll be on the sidelines cheering. We’ll see how it goes the next couple of days but we’re obviously dying to get him back.”
Curry's return in just in time to get back into basketball shape for the post season.
The Warriors are set to play in the NBA Play-In Tournament, as the won't be able to catch the Western Conference's No. 6 seed before the regular season ends. The Warriors (36-41) are currently the No. 10 seed in the West and have five games remaining before the postseason begins Tuesday, April 14.
Atop them, by three games, are the Los Angeles Clippers (39-38) at the No. 9-slot. The Portland Trail Blazers are 40-38, a half game above the Clippers at No. 8.
DALLAS — Lakers star Luka Doncic will be sidelined for the rest of the regular season because of Grade 2 left hamstring injury he suffered during Thursday’s road loss to the Thunder, the team announced on Friday after Doncic received an MRI.
Even though the Lakers didn’t provide an official timeline for when Doncic is expected to return to the court or be reevaluated, he will also likely miss the start of the playoffs, which start on April 18.
Grade 2 hamstring strains typically come with a recovery timeline of 3-6 weeks. InStreetClothes, which is an NBA injury database ran by certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, stated that the average time lost for type of injury Doncic suffered is about 35 days.
The Lakers, who are 50-27 and at third place in the Western Conference standings, already clinched a playoff spot and will bypass the play-in tournament (April 14-17) for the second straight season.
Three weeks from when Doncic suffered the hamstring injury is April 23, which would be around Games 3 or 4 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff matchup.
A timeline closer to 35 days, let alone six weeks, would likely take Doncic out of the Lakers’ entire first-round playoff series, even if it lasted seven games.
Doncic left during the third quarter of the Lakers’ blowout loss to the Thunder after suffering the hamstring injury drive attempt against Thunder wing Jalen Williams.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts from the floor after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Getty Images
He was hobbling and limping to stay off his left leg before laying down underneath the basket by the Thunders’ bench, with coach JJ Redick calling timeout to sub Doncic out of the game.
“At this point, at this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” LeBron James said after Thursday’s game. “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.”
Doncic was on the injury report because of left hamstring soreness before the March 27 home win over the Nets, but played after being listed as questionable, scoring 41 points in 39 minutes to lead the Lakers to a victory.
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He sat out of Monday’s win over the Wizards, serving his one-game suspension because of an accumulation of technical fouls after picking up his 16th of the season against the Nets, before having 42 points in Tuesday’s home win over the Cavaliers.
He appeared to injure the left hamstring in the first half but tried to play through.
Doncic was seen grabbing at his hamstring after making a layup late in the first quarter, and again late in the second quarter after driving and passing to Luke Kennard.
“We checked him out,” Redick said on Thursday. “He got work done. He was cleared. I mean, again, we’re not going to put a player at risk. Those things happen.”
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Doncic walked off the court under his own power before going back to the locker room.
“You wish for the best,” Austin Reaves said on Thursday. “Obviously, you don’t want to see anybody get hurt. But you hold on to some faith for the best news possible. I’ve gotten to know him the last year and a half. He’s a competitor, so he’ll do all he can do to put himself in a position to come back when he can.”
The Sixers roared into a higher gear in the second half to surge past the Timberwolves and earn a 115-103 win Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The win ensured the Sixers stayed in sixth place (and out of the play-in tournament places) in the Eastern Conference standings. At the final buzzer, the seventh-seeded Raptors held an 18-point halftime lead over the Grizzlies. Toronto would join the Sixers at 43-34 with a victory.
Paul George’s 23 points led the Sixers. Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 21 apiece.
Joel Embiid had 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Bones Hyland and Julius Randle each posted 21 points for the T-Wolves, who fell to 46-31.
The Sixers will conclude their back-to-back by hosting the Pistons on Saturday night. Here are observations their win over Minnesota:
Exemplary Barlow start
VJ Edgecombe scored the game’s first basket with a slick fadeaway jumper. George put the Sixers up 5-1 when he swished a three-pointer after Dominick Barlow grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked the ball out.
Barlow had an excellent, typically scrappy opening stint that included three offensive boards, four defensive rebounds, five points on 2-for-3 shooting and sturdy defensive work against Julius Randle. Not that Sixers head coach Nick Nurse needs it, but Barlow provided further evidence Friday that he’s a viable starting option in the postseason.
Embiid was back in the Sixers’ starting lineup after missing the team’s victory Wednesday over the Wizards with an illness. He didn’t look anywhere near his peak level at the start of the game.
The Sixers’ star big man was slow to run up the floor and join the offense a couple of times in the first quarter. He began 0 for 4 from the floor, had a three-point attempt blocked by Naz Reid and turned the ball over on a casual first-quarter outlet pass.
Bones brings it
The Timberwolves started 4 for 26 from the field and 1 for 13 from three-point range.
Minnesota only mustered 17 points in the first quarter … and trailed by just two entering the second. Not the finest quarter for either offense.
Hyland gave the T-Wolves a serious spark in the second quarter.
A native of Wilmington, Delaware, Hyland had gleeful reactions to just about every positive play. He made three long-range jumpers in the second quarter, helped Minnesota build a lead as high as nine points, and posted a team-high 14 in the first half. Hyland’s outing brought back memories of his 21-point performance as a rookie in the Nuggets’ March 2022 win over the Sixers.
Meanwhile, Embiid shot 1 for 10 from the floor in the first half and the Sixers went 2 for 13 beyond the arc.
Embiid-Drummond pair does the trick
George was by far the most productive Sixer in the first half.
He did much of his damage before halftime as an aggressive driver. George reached double-digit free throw attempts early in the third quarter. He took a season-high 10 foul shots in the game and made eight.
Embiid hit a mid-range shot on his first attempt of the second half. The Sixers gained momentum during a stretch in which T-Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards missed a wide-open dunk. Embiid’s jumper cut the Sixers’ deficit to one point and a fast-break Edgecombe jam pushed the team into the lead.
Fatigue was surely a factor on the second night of a back-to-back for the Timberwolves, who had an eight-man rotation until Terrence Shannon Jr. subbed in late in the third quarter.
Nurse’s fourth man off the bench was quite surprising.
Andre Drummond subbed in with 2:04 to go in the third quarter and played next to Embiid. The Drummond-Embiid frontcourt minutes went extremely well for the Sixers. Two Quentin Grimes fast-break layups gave the Sixers an 83-71 lead. Drummond didn’t drain threes or make tons of highlight plays, but he was solid on both ends of the floor. The veteran big man ended up with four points and six rebounds in nine minutes.
Nurse had hinted pregame at still having a few rotation ideas he wanted to explore before the postseason. Perhaps Drummond-Embiid minutes were one of them.
The Sixers expanded their lead early in the fourth quarter with Embiid and Maxey on the bench. George drilled two threes to extend their advantage to 99-82.
The Maxey-Embiid duo subbed back in with a little under five minutes left and the Sixers holding a 14-point lead. Minnesota hung around, but the Sixers ultimately secured a winning start to their back-to-back without much late-game drama. Oubre canned a pair of threes down the stretch to ice the win.
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 2: San Antonio Spurs celebrate during the game against the LA Clippers on April 2, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On the second night of a back-to-back, the San Antonio Spurs waltzed into Los Angeles and beat a potential first-round playoff opponent. The Spurs beat the Clippers 118-99 without their star player, Victor Wembanyama.
Instead, the team was led by its trio of guards. De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have been playing great basketball with and without Wembanyama this season. The trio is one of the big reasons the team is -170 to make the Western Conference Finals on FanDuel. They’ll headline our player grades for the win over the Clippers.
As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Castle went head-to-head with Kawhi Leonard and won. Leonard finished with more points, 24 of them, but Castle won the game and looked comfortable in the matchup. Leonard scored more when Castle wasn’t guarding him, and Castle was still able to score efficiently against one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders. He knocked down threes and hit mid-range jumpers. When those shots are falling, he becomes really hard to guard.
The sophomore guard had a few bad turnovers as the Clippers made a run, but other than that, he was a real leader in the Spurs’ win.
Fox always seems to turn it on when Wembanyama misses a game. He’s more assertive with the ball in his hands and takes more chances shooting around the rim. Not only did Fox lead the team in scoring, but he was a catalyst on the defensive end, getting into the opposing ball-handlers’ space and racking up 2 steals. One was a clutch interception as the Clippers threatened to cut the lead to single digits.
Fox is a stabilizing force and a leader for the team. Thursday night was an example of how his impact could be felt in a playoff series.
Harper was locked in after struggling a bit against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. As the Clippers started to come back in the third quarter, Harper shut things down with some emphatic offensive plays. He also hit one of the craziest shots of the season before halftime, catching the ball with just a second left and heaving a half-court shot that swished in.
This was one of those games where it felt like Harper could get to the rim whenever he wanted to. The Clippers were too small on the perimeter to handle him. He was a big reason the Spurs outscored Los Angeles 66-56 in the paint.
One thing that will eventually separate Champagnie from other 3&D wings in the NBA is his ability to attack a closeout. Champagnie did most of his damage inside the arc on Thursday. He struggled to hit threes, but got to the rim and scored fairly efficiently. He continues to be one of the best rebounders on the team and had an effective defensive game against LA.
Was that Luke Kornet or baby Jokic out there on Thursday? Kornet was about halfway to a triple-double as he filled in for Wembanyama. He logged 5 assists and had some savvy plays on the offensive glass. It’s so jarring to see even an above-average rim protector replace Wembanyama. You expect every shot to be impacted, but it’s just not the reality for big men who aren’t a once-in-a-generation defender. Still, Kornet had a solid defensive game protecting the paint.
Devin Vassell double-double alert! With rebounds, no less! Vassell looked much more comfortable offensively, knocking down three triples. He grabbed two offensive rebounds as the Spurs pounded the Clippers on the glass 48-38.
Barnes was quiet but effective on Thursday. The team didn’t struggle when he was on the floor, but he didn’t make a big impact either. You love to see him knock down a three-pointer. The pressure is now on Barnes, though. He is the eighth Spurs player to average double-digits, and he now sits at 10 exactly. We’ll need to see some double-digit performances in the next five games if San Antonio wants to break the record.
KJ also got the Kawhi assignment on Thursday. He did a good job being physical with the Clippers wing, but wasn’t necessarily the Kawhi stopper. Offensively, he was great at getting to the rim and scoring inside. In other words, it was a typical performance from Johnson.
The small-ball center lineup with Bryant was not as effective as it was against Golden State. He made some silly mistakes, including a bad turnover in the first quarter. He did have a great put-back after streaking to the basket on a missed shot.
Olynyk got to play a bit in garbage time. He grabbed a few boards and missed a deep shot. Olynyk also did the classic move of holding the ball until the buzzer sounded, and then taking a shot to not rub it in the other team’s face. He missed that shot, too.
It was nice to see Ingram get rewarded for his time in the G League. The sophomore has been crushing it in Austin. He had a nice driving layup in garbage time. Maybe we’ll see more of Ingram on next year’s team.
Grade: Incomplete
Bismack Biyombo
3 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 foul, +/- 0
The most Biyombo stat line of all time: 1 rebound, 1 foul. Enough said.
