Luka Doncic Injury sets off alarm for Lakers
Luka Doncic is keeping the Lakers on edge: a groin discomfort against the Warriors is worrying the purple-and-gold fans. Here are the latest updates
It wasn’t the debut the Lakers were expecting. In the opening game against Golden State, Luka Doncic alarmed Lakers fans after touching his groin during the third quarter.
Despite the pain, the Slovenian stayed on the court, dominating almost the entire second half, with a brief pause in the fourth quarter. His performance was still outstanding: 43 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists on 63% shooting in 41 minutes. Impressive numbers, yet not enough to avoid a 119-109 home loss to the Warriors.
After the game, Doncic tried to reassure everyone, calling the discomfort “probably nothing serious”, but concern remains high. With LeBron James already sidelined for several weeks, a potential injury for the Slovenian star would further complicate the Lakers’ season start.
Coach JJ Redick, for his part, ruled out any concern regarding his superstar’s minutes. “Every game is different”, he explained after the match, justifying Doncic’s extended playing time due to Austin Reaves’ foul trouble, which forced him to limit his aggressiveness starting in the third quarter.
The team paid the price for a lack of reliable alternatives: Doncic and Reaves combined for 69 points and 18 assists on 60% shooting, while the rest of the squad had little impact. Without LeBron’s contribution, the Lakers’ offensive production relied almost exclusively on these two wings -a script that cannot continue for long.
Against an experienced trio like Curry, Butler, and Green, the Warriors leveraged their greater depth, controlling the game at key moments. Now the Lakers need an immediate response: they cannot afford to overwork Doncic every night, especially at the start of the season.
It will be up to the supporting cast to step up to prevent the team from running into trouble in the first few weeks.