Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic headed back to the locker room in the second quarter of Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was favoring his left leg for a couple of possessions before departing. Luka was followed by several Lakers personnel and looked frustrated. This injury is the last thing LA needs.
Number 77 remained in the locker room for the rest of the second period. The Lakers trailed by nine at the break, and Doncic was struggling. He had ten points, four rebounds, and two assists in 16 minutes before his departure, but was three of ten from the field. Luka missed all four of his triples and had five turnovers. A bad night turned so much worse with the injury.
Doncic’s MVP odds got a boost with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s injury, but it won’t matter if he needs to miss time. Luka must play 65 games to be eligible and has already missed eight. Hamstrings can be tricky, so here is a running look at the latest updates.
Luka Doncic suffers a hamstring injury vs. the 76ers
Luka has a history of soft tissue injuries, so every new one is concerning. Doncic was rolling and kept moving up in the MVP odds before this injury. Fans were immediately concerned, and those qualms aren’t going anywhere.
Number 77 walked back to the locker room under his own power. He was clearly upset and feeling pain, but Luka did not need help.
Doncic was not on the floor to start the second half, and he wasn't seen on the bench. The superstar was nowhere to be found to open the third quarter. The Sixers immediately went on a 6-0 run to start the period, and the Lakers looked out of sorts without their offensive engine.
UPDATE: Luka officially ruled out for the rest of the game
Luka was officially ruled out for the remainder in the middle of the third quarter. The Lakers called the injury left leg soreness, but fans saw him favoring his hamstring. LA is known to be tight-lipped with injuries, so fans shouldn't be surprised they offered no official diagnosis.
UPDATE: Luka Doncic seen limping leaving the locker room after the win
Lakers reporter Jovan Buha shared the following after the impressive comeback win against the Sixers.
Luka Doncic just walked out of the Lakers’ locker room area with a slight limp.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 6, 2026
UPDATE: JJ Redick confirms Luka suffered hamstring injury
Head coach JJ Redick said after the game that Doncic had soreness in his left hamstring, and it was a mutual decision to hold him out.
JJ Redick said Luka Doncic felt some soreness in his left hamstring. Both Doncic and the Lakers’ medical staff determined he wasn’t able to return. Doncic will be getting imaging soon and it’s too early to tell the severity of the injury, per Redick.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 6, 2026
Fans will have to wait on the tests to know how long Luka will miss. The fact that he was limping and never returned to the game likely means a multiple game absence is coming.
The Lakers have just four more games before the All-Star break. It would be wise to rest Luka and get him healthy for the stretch run, especially after Austin Reaves took over and led them to victory on Thursday night.
The Lakers are fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament and need every win. They sit sixth in the West with Luka Doncic. LA could miss the playoffs entirely if he is forced to miss significant time. The purple and gold just traded for a shooter to help their star. The Luke Kennard addition will look worse if Doncic isn't running the show in Los Angeles.
Keep checking back here for all the latest on Luka Doncic’s injury. The Los Angeles Lakers need their superstar to have any shot in the loaded Western Conference, and fans know that. Hopefully, it is not as bad as it looked, and Luka can quickly return. All fans can do is stay tuned.