Luka Doncic Injury Status for Lakers vs Pacers

Will the new Lakers guard make his debut against the Pacers?

Feb 4, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is introduced at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers shook up the NBA when they traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. It was not known that Doncic was even available, so it was shocking to have him traded to the Lakers.

Doncic is a top-three player in the NBA, and adding him to the fabric of what the Lakers already have should make them a formidable team

One of the biggest issues in recent seasons for Doncic has been staying healthy. It's part of the reason why the Mavericks ended up trading him.

His conditioning problems could contribute to some of the injury problems that he has had in recent years. Dallas thinks that could be linked to his current calf issue.

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Doncic hurt his calf on Christmas Day and hasn't played since. The Lakers were hoping to have him make his team debut against the Pacers on Saturday.

Instead, they will have to wait until Monday. He is listed as out due to his calf strain and will likely make his Lakers debut against the Jazz on Monday.

The Lakers could be shorthanded for this game against Indiana. They might not have LeBron James or Mark Williams, either.

The goal for them is to have a healthy team soon so they can start making a move up the Western Conference standings. Saturday will not be that day.

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Doncic has been ramping up his activity level in anticipation of returning, so he should be ready to hit the ground running once he does finally suit up for the Lakers.

It wouldn't be surprising to see him struggle for the first few games. He has to figure out how he fits with James and the rest of the roster.

Once the Lakers figure out that chemistry piece, they will be a scary team to face. Getting to that pont will take a couple of weeks, though.

Other players will have to step up if the Lakers want to beat the Pacers on Saturday. Indiana has the best record since the start of January in the entire NBA.

Doncic is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game this season.

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