The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the hottest teams in basketball until disaster struck Thursday night. Luka Dončićwent down with a hamstring injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it has since been revealed that the injury will keep him out for the remainder of the regular season.
“Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will be sidelined at least through the end of the regular season with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, the team announced Friday. Doncic underwent an MRI in Dallas on Friday afternoon that revealed the extent of the strain, which he suffered in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote.
Austin Reaves was also hurt in the same game but was able to finish. On Saturday, it was announced that he will miss the rest of the regular season as well, and possibly more time beyond that.
“With the team already reeling from the Luka Doncic left hamstring strain diagnosis that will sideline him indefinitely, the Los Angeles Lakers announced on Saturday that Austin Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and will be out for the remainder of the regular season. While the team gave no timetable for his return, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that Reaves is expected to miss four to six weeks with the injury,” McMenamin wrote.
With these injuries, the Lakers have called up Kobe Bufkin and Dalton Knecht.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have recalled guards Kobe Bufkin and Dalton Knecht from the South Bay Lakers,” SI’s Ryan Ward wrote.
Knecht has been out of the rotation for much of the season, but with the recent injuries, opportunities could open up. Knecht was signed to a $18 million rookie contract two summers ago. The second-year guard has the potential to be a dangerous threat from beyond the arc.
The Lakers will now have to find different ways to generate offense without two of their top players. Los Angeles looked like a legitimate contender, but these injuries are a major setback. Still, an under-the-radar player like Knecht could step up and provide a spark to keep the team afloat.
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