Luka Doncic Injury Update: What We Know After Lakers Loss

Superstar Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic sat out Saturday’s 132-116 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers with left groin soreness. Fortunately for the Lakers, their best player isn’t expected to be sidelined for a significant time. Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided a Luka Doncic injury update on Saturday, noting that an MRI on the Slovenian “was good” and that he was day-to-day with the injury. Lakers Injury Woes The injury-ravaged Lakers were also without starting center Deandre Ayton (knee), Jaxson Hayes (hamstring) and Austin Reaves ( grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain). While Reaves is expected to be reevaluated in a week — nearly a month after he sustained his calf strain in the Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets — Ayton and Hayes are considered day-to-day with their injuries, according to Redick. As a result of their injuries, the Lakers were forced to start Maxi Kleber at center on Saturday, while G-Leaguer Drew Timme backed him up off the bench. Redick highlighted that Saturday’s loss marked the 19th different starting combination he has been forced to use through 40 games due to the injuries., “This has been our season,” Redick said of his team’s injury woes, via LA Times’ Broderick Turner. “You get one guy healthy, another guy gets injured. You get one guy back and another guy gets injured. Two guys go out tonight and you play without your two centers. So, it’s been our season.” Lakers Find a New Gem? LeBron James, who finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the loss, refused to cite injuries for the Lakers going 4-6 in their last 10 games. “At the end of the day, nobody is feeling sorry for us, nor are we looking for it,” James said of the Lakers injury issues. “The guys that are available, we got to go out there and play our game, play the way we want to play offensively and defensively and just try to right the ship until we get whole.” The one major positive coming out of Saturday’s loss was the performance of Drew Timme, who had 21 points (9-of-12 FG) and four assists from 29 minutes off the bench. James had a lot of praise for the sharpshooting big man, noting that he could build off Saturday’s performance if the Lakers give him more chances. Timme wasn’t surprised by his showing, stressing that he was ready to shine when his number was called, which he did. “It’s great to see all the work you put in,” he said, via Spectrum SportsNet. “That’s the beauty of the G-League. When or if I’m ever needed, I’m ready.”