The Los Angeles Lakers were getting destroyed by the Thunder before Luka Doncic’s hamstring injury turned things into a complete nightmare. The defending champions had LA’s lack of athleticism on full display. OKC was running the Lakers off the floor. They were up 14 less than five minutes into the game and had a 31-point edge at halftime. Los Angeles had a serious problem, and things worsened significantly when Doncic went down.
Luka gives his team a puncher’s chance to defeat anyone. He is arguably the world’s best playmaker. Doncic leads the NBA in scoring and is third in assists per game. He is an unstoppable offensive force who helped the Lakers win 16 of 18 games before Thursday’s disaster.
The Lakers looked like a title contender during their hot stretch, but the NBA’s best teams are young, deep, and athletic. They want to get out in transition and put pressure on the rim at all times. LA struggles mightily to deal with that, and Luka’s injury gives them virtually no shot.
Lakers’ athleticism problem just got a lot worse with Luka Doncic out
Luka’s hamstring injury looked awful. He was clearly in pain, and it may cost him significantly. Number 77 has only played in 64 games and needs one more to be eligible for awards. He would miss out on being first-team All-NBA and garnering MVP votes if he doesn’t play again during the regular season.
There is no guarantee he’s healthy for the playoffs. Head coach JJ Redick deserves a ton of blame for not taking Luka out when he got injured. It was clearly a problem in the second quarter. Doncic tried to play through it and hurt himself worse. The coach needed to step in and save his superstar.
The Lakers can’t suddenly get more athletic. They could play Bronny James and Adou Theiro, but those young talents are far from playoff-ready. LA is stuck with this core for the rest of this season. They knew a matchup against the Thunder or Spurs would be problematic. The purple and gold were banking on Luka to save them. Sadly, that may no longer be an option.
The playoffs start in two weeks. Depending on the severity of his hamstring strain, Luka may need considerably more time to get healthy. The Lakers can’t rush him back. Doncic is already a legend, but is just entering his prime. His long-term health should be the top priority. LA has no shot of advancing in the loaded West without number 77, so all fans can do is hope he gets healthy.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest wart was on full display against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it got so much worse when Luka Doncic was injured. They had a shot to defeat anyone if number 77 went nuclear. Now, their lack of athleticism and nonexistent rim protection will crush LA. It seemed like the Lakers had turned a corner, but things quickly shifted into a nightmare.
That’s how sports go sometimes, and is exactly what makes us all love the highs so much. Hopefully, Luka can get healthy and lead the Lakers on a playoff run. It seems unlikely, but stay tuned for updates and keep hoping for the best.