Lakers' Luka Doncic Downplays Troubling New Injury

At 46-30 on the season, the revamped and revitalized Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in the thick of the Western Conference's playoff hunt.

Following a disappointing 123-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, however, questions have arisen as to just how far these reconstituted Lakers can go in the playoffs.

Final pic.twitter.com/fUS27goXGh
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 4, 2025

They fell from the No. 3 seed in the conference to the No. 4 seed with the defat.

The most concerning item in last night's game — beyond how solvable starting center Jaxson Hayes has become — was the play of five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic.

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In 37:50 of action, the 6-foot-6 pro scored just 19 points while shooting 6-of-17 from the field (0-of-6 from long range) and 7-of-7 shooting from the free throw line, while grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out seven assists (against one turnover), and blocking a shot.

Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Doncic accepted accountability for his poor performance against Golden State.

Troublingly, McMenamin revealed that Doncic appeared to have suffered a new injury during the game at some point. Los Angeles has yet to reveal its official injury report for the team heading into what should be a very winnable matchup against an ailing New Orleans Pelicans squad on Friday night.

New story: Luka took the blame and the Lakers took the L as precious playoff footing was ceded with just six games left to go https://t.co/DGrLIljmOO
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 4, 2025

"That performance from me was unacceptable," Doncic said. "When I play like that, that makes [it] harder [for the team] to win, so just got to figure that out."

Doncic ended a streak of 114 consecutive games with at least one made triple since April 7, 2023. McMenamin notes that it was fifth-longest streak of its kind ever.

After the game, Doncic was seen with his left elbow ice and wrapped in kinesiology tape.

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"It's fine," Doncic said. "That's my left [non-shooting arm], so it's fine. I was shooting with the right. It [just] looked like [the] left."

Doncic noted that the Warriors clash had the energy of a postseason clash, given that it transpired between two teams that consider themselves contenders and are jockeying for playoff seeding.

"It obviously felt like a playoff game," Doncic said. "Obviously, the Warriors, since they acquired Jimmy [Butler], they've been playing unbelievably. So it was kind of playoff game and now we see what kind of team they are. Maybe we can meet them, maybe not, in the playoffs. So, we just need to be more ready."

Whether or not Doncic decides to rest on the second night of a back-to-back, Los Angeles should be favored to take down the Pelicans on Friday night at home. All five of the Pelicans' top players have already been shut down for the season.

Two-time All-Star power forward Zion Williamson is done for the year with a low back bone contusion, having played just 30 games. One-time All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray is out with a ruptured right Achilles. All-Defensive Team forward Herbert Jones is done with a torn right shoulder rotator cuff. Guard CJ McCollum has incurred a right foot bone contusion. Wing Trey Murphy III has been sidelined with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

As the league's latest injury report relays, the Pelicans are also without Brandon Boston (left ankle stress reaction) and Jordan Hawkins (lumbar spine annular fissure).

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