NBA injury doc on how long Luka Doncic could miss with bad hamstring
A doctor who is an expert on NBA experts is fearing the worst for Luka Doncic, who exited Thursday's loss to the Thunder with a hamstring injury.
The Los Angeles Lakers were hit on their heads by a proverbial sledgehammer on Thursday. Not only did they get slammed by the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder 139-96 , but they also lost Luka Doncic to a hamstring injury in the third quarter. Suddenly, the prevailing feeling went from disappointment or frustration caused by the lopsided defeat to acute concern about the health of the team's franchise player moving forward.
Doncic didn't return to the game after sustaining his injury, and coach JJ Redick said he will undergo an MRI. Dr. Evan Jeffries, an NBA and NFL injury insider, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that if Doncic suffered a hamstring strain, he could miss as many as six weeks of action, which could effectively end his season.
Even a Grade I strain, which is the mildest level of severity, would result in him sitting out for a week or two. Luka Doncic seems to pull up because of his left hamstring This is the SAME hamstring he hurt prior in the season. If it’s a strain timeline is dependent on severity Grade I: 1-2 weeks Grade II: 3-6 weeks pic.
twitter. com/VdFWqz2snl — Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) April 3, 2026 Some Lakers fans are now second-guessing Redick's decision-making, as Doncic first appeared to tweak his hamstring early in the game but was cleared to keep playing.