Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain.
Doncic, 27, suffered the injury during the Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday evening, after he pulled up during a drive in the third quarter.
The injury comes as a huge blow for the Lakers, with Doncic currently averaging a league-high 33.5 points across 64 games this season – along with a further 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game.
If Doncic does not return for the remainder of the season, it means that he will fall short of eligibility for postseason awards such as MVP and all-NBA.
A statement from Doncic’s agent Bill Duffy, via Shams Charania, said: ‘This season, Luka Dončić has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory.
‘To ensure that Luka’s incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honored and he can be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an ‘Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge’ to the 65-game rule.
‘Luka missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia. His daughter was born on Dec. 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on Dec. 6. Luka has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season.
‘His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances. We look forward to working with the NBAPA and the league office to ensure a fair outcome in this matter.’
The injury blow comes just weeks after Doncic accused his ex-fiancée of filing for child support for their two children in the wrong state in order to receive better payments.
Doncic and his former fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, have been embroiled in a battle over their children as they go through an ugly separation.
According to court documents, the 27-year-old Doncic filed a motion to dismiss Goltes’ petition for child support – which was submitted in Los Angeles.
Doncic is moving for the petition to be declared invalid on the grounds that Goltes and their daughters – Gabriela, 2, and Olivia, 3 months – are not California residents.
Moreover, the Lakers star says he filed a family law action in their home nation of Slovenia last month.
More to follow…
