Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic headed back to the locker room in the second quarter of Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was favoring his left leg for a couple of possessions before departing. Luka was followed by several Lakers personnel and looked frustrated. This injury is the last thing LA needs.
Number 77 remained in the locker room for the rest of the second period. The Lakers trailed by nine at the break, and Doncic was struggling. He had ten points, four rebounds, and two assists in 16 minutes before his departure, but was three of ten from the field. Luka missed all four of his triples and had five turnovers. A bad night turned so much worse with the injury.
Doncic’s [MVP odds got a boost](https://lakeshowlife.com/los-angeles-lakers-luka-doncic-gets-unexpected-mvp-boost-without-playing-single-minute) with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s injury, but it won’t matter if he needs to miss time. Luka must play 65 games to be eligible and has already missed eight. Hamstrings can be tricky, so here is a running look at the latest updates.
Luka Doncic suffers a hamstring injury vs. the 76ers
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Luka has a history of soft tissue injuries, so every new one is concerning. Doncic was rolling and kept moving up in the MVP odds before this injury. Fans were immediately concerned, and those qualms aren’t going anywhere.
Number 77 walked back to the locker room under his own power. He was clearly upset and feeling pain, but Luka did not need help.
Doncic was not on the floor to start the second half, and he wasn't seen on the bench. The superstar was nowhere to be found to open the third quarter. The Sixers immediately went on a 6-0 run to start the period, and the Lakers looked out of sorts without their offensive engine.
The Lakers are fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament and need every win. They sit sixth in the West with Luka Doncic. LA could miss the playoffs entirely if he is forced to miss significant time. The purple and gold [just traded for a shooter](https://lakeshowlife.com/lakers-luke-kennard-trade-gives-luka-doncic-something-he-thrived-with-in-dallas) to help their star. The Luke Kennard addition will look worse if Doncic isn't running the show in Los Angeles.
Keep checking back here for all the latest on Luka Doncic’s injury. The Los Angeles Lakers need their superstar to have any shot in the loaded Western Conference, and fans know that. Hopefully, it is not as bad as it looked, and Luka can quickly return. All fans can do is stay tuned.