Just when the Los Angeles Lakers needed Luka Doncic to put them on his back, a hard foul made that almost impossible to achieve. Doncic was stuffing the stat sheet and getting into the teeth of the Minnesota Timberwolves' defense, leaving the opposition searching for answers.
Donte DiVincenzo seemed to find the solution when an attempted block from behind caught Doncic across the chest, thus violently rerouting his forward momentum and causing an instant issue with his back.
Dr. Evan Jeffries is of the belief that Doncic's injury could result in his back going into hypertension, which could impact his mobility.
Luka Doncic had his low back go into hypertension which could be an issue in this game
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) May 1, 2025
He’s not walking well pic.twitter.com/NCvBiXJqUr
Dr. Brian Sutterer offered a more dire take on the matter, stating his fear that Doncic could've sustained a fracture in his spine.
Not trying to be dramatic, but Luka may have a fracture in his spine
— Brian Sutterer MD (@BrianSuttererMD) May 1, 2025
One way or another, the Lakers have every reason to be concerned by what is being speculated as a potentially severe injury.
Luka Doncic returns for second half, but back injury could be dangerous
Doncic inevitably left the game ahead of halftime, thus stalling Los Angeles' progress as a team. He'd tallied 12 points, six rebounds, five assists, and a steal at the time of the injury, burying eight of his nine free throw attempts along the way.
Thankfully, Jovan Buha of The Athletic has confirmed that Doncic will return for the second half despite the apparent issue with his back.
Luka Doncic is returning for the second half. He emerged seconds before the buzzer with a wrap on his back.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) May 1, 2025
Lakers fans can breathe a slight sigh of relief as Doncic prepares to extend the Lakers' season and fight through the pain he endured.
For better or worse, it's the only logical approach viewers can take to an injury that remains shrouded in mystery. It's entirely possible that Doncic suffered a less severe injury than the aforementioned posts believe, and he'll be able to move forward just fine.
We won't delve into speculation from an uneducated place, and it must be noted that the aforementioned posts are from medical professionals, but uncertainty is the prevailing theme.
That and an overwhelming sense of admiration from fans and analysts who are watching Doncic push through excruciating pain.
Luka and the Lakers showing a lot of grit in this game. Doncic is doubled over with that back injury after each play. He’s maybe 50 percent
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) May 1, 2025
The positive news is that Doncic has hit the ground running during the second half, scoring in bunches. Any further information will likely be provided during post-game interviews once the team has had a chance to more thoroughly evaluate him.
In the meantime, the fact that Doncic is able to move around the court and play at a high level offers a source of optimism.