Luka Doncic has been ruled out of the regular season after sustaining a Grade 2 left hamstring strain against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. The injury is a massive blow to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Slovenian himself, who has by far has had a MVP-worthy season. But, a positive update came in on Saturday. An expert revealed that Doncic could be back during the playoffs.
The 27-year-old guard has been instrumental in driving the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference, averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game. His standout March run included 13 games with 30 or more points, highlighted by seven 40-point performances, including outings of 51 and 60. In the process, he joined Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to score 600 points in the month of March and became one of just 10 players ever to reach that mark in any calendar month.
Expert weighs in on Luka Doncic’s return
Injury expert Marty Jaramillo revealed that he believes Doncic could return during the postseason.
Speaking on CBS Sports, Jaramillo said: “Luka Doncic’s MVP-caliber season is now in jeopardy. He suffered a grade two hamstring strain, which is a deceleration type injury. The replay is clear. He accelerated into the paint, had to stop short, and grabbed high on his hamstring near his glute muscle.”
“A grade one strain is manageable. A grade two strain is a momentum killer. Why is that? A grade two strain is a partial tear. The pain is sharp and noticeable. The strength loss is noticeable. Mobility is limited, especially with sprinting. Time management here is going to be between three and six weeks. It depends on how quickly he heals. With a history of these hamstring tears, signs do not look good, but fingers crossed.”
The expert further explained why hamstring strains are tricky.
“Since 2024, Luka has had five hamstring strains. This year, his fitness and conditioning have kept him on the floor. But in the NBA, health equals heavy load in minutes, heavy load in general. Late fatigue injuries occur, and this is what’s happening here.”
“Why are hamstring strains so tricky? First, they have very poor blood supply, so it takes time. Second, most tears are deep, so even strong hands have a hard time getting into the tear. Third, most tears are small, but the healthy muscle around the tear tightens up to protect it. You start to compensate, and the injury feels much larger.”
“So you have to work immediately to control inflammation. You have to heal it, gently reload it, gently retrain it, then get it to trust again. To do that in a short period of time is difficult. Luka of last year, this would be season-ending. Luka today, I’m betting on him.”
What happened to Luka Doncic?
Doncic’s momentum was halted during Thursday’s 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He appeared in visible discomfort after driving to the basket in the third quarter, before limping off the court. The Slovenian star, clearly emotional, exited the game after briefly remaining on the floor in pain.
Head coach JJ Redick later revealed that he had experienced hamstring discomfort earlier in the game but had been cleared to continue. “We checked him out,” Redick said after the game. “He got work done, but he was cleared. We’re not going to put a player at risk. Those things happen.”
Luka Doncic’s MVP shot
His agent, Bill Duffy, has already moved to address that possibility. Speaking to ESPN, Duffy confirmed plans to seek an exception. “His daughter was born on December 4, on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on December 6,” Duffy said.
“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 (National Basketball Players Association) and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.”
