Luka Doncic could've been one of several players to get replaced in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
Heading into the break, the Los Angeles Lakers star was dealing with a hamstring injury, which has forced him to miss several games recently. While Doncic chose to play for Team World in Los Angeles this past weekend, he was on a restriction. Taking it easy was a priority.
"It was good," Doncic said after the games, when asked about his injured hamstring.
"Obviously, I wanted to go out there. The fans voted me to be in this game, so I wanted to be there. It felt good."
The Lakers landed good news, knowing that Doncic didn't experience any setbacks throughout the night. Now, they are hopeful that a few more days of rest can allow Luka to hit the ground running for the final stretch of the season.
Doncic played just five minutes between two games on Sunday. In the matchup against the USA Stars, which featured the younger team, Doncic shot 1-3 from the field, missing both of his shots from beyond the arc. He scored two points, and produced two assists.
The World Team came up short, losing 37-35. They played USA Stripes, which didn't feature Doncic at all. He was a DNP-CD, joining the likes of the superstar center, Nikola Jokic.
Once again, Team World came up short with a 48-45 loss. They were eliminated with the second loss.
Doncic and the Lakers are hoping for better luck in the health department for the final stretch of the year. Prior to his hamstring setback, Doncic didn't miss too much time for his team. He left the February 5 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers 15 minutes in, and went on to miss the following four games. Over that time, the Lakers went 2-2.
The Lakers didn't pinpoint a return date for Doncic before the break, but assuming if all goes well this week, Doncic could be back in action as early as their Friday night matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers at home this week.
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