Los Angeles Lakers fans were watching Luka Doncic carve up Latvia for his native Slovenia before he suffered a knee injury in the third quarter. Things did not look good as a teammate fell on his leg. Doncic was clearly in pain and quickly limped to the locker room. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game, but there has been no definitive update yet. Reports suggest Luka wanted to return, but the medical staff wouldn’t allow it.
Luka just signed a max extension with the Lakers. The 26-year-old is one of the five best players in the world and is worth every penny, which made Saturday’s injury even more terrifying. It was a fluke play, which can often cause the worst injuries.
Luka returned to the bench and had ice on his right knee. He was walking, which is a positive sign. Lakers fans are still holding their breath that everything turns out fine.
Luka Doncic injures knee in EuroBasket preparation game
Number 77 was dominating Latvia before the injury. He had 26 points, five assists, and four rebounds in the first half. Doncic was making plays all over the court. Latvia features his former NBA teammates Kristaps Porzingis and Davis Bertans, but neither had anything to slow down Luka.
Doncic is among the favorites for NBA MVP after he transformed his body. He is in the best shape of his life and was ready to dominate. Those facts only added to the fear of Saturday’s injury.
Lakers fans continue to hope for the best. It was positive that Luka was able to walk and return to the bench after the injury. Things looked scary, but do not be surprised to see Doncic play in EuroBasket and not miss a beat. There will likely be more tests to confirm it is not a serious injury. If it is minor, Luka will represent his country. EuroBasket is the second biggest tournament for Slovenia behind the Olympics, and Doncic wants nothing more than to win it for his country.
Los Angeles Lakers fans will be scouring for updates as they become available. Watching Luka Doncic go down in pain was certainly terrifying. It looks like number 77 avoided a major injury, but stay tuned for updates. The Lakers need their superstar firing on all cylinders, so even a minor knee problem is scary. Hopefully, Luka is back on the floor quickly and puts this one behind him.