Luka Doncic's hamstring injury will test Lakers' depth on eve of NBA playoffs

The Lakers' Luka Doncic reacts after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on Thursday. (Cooper Neill / Getty Images) In the aftermath of their worst loss of the season , few Lakers players or coaches had spoken to Luka Doncic after he limped off the court in the third quarter Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Austin Reaves didn’t know the extent of Doncic’s hamstring injury, but he knew how the Lakers superstar would approach the latest hurdle in this winding season.

“He's a competitor,” Reaves said of Doncic, “so he'll do all he can do to put himself in a position to come back when he can. ” Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday on the left hamstring injury he suffered in a 43-point loss to the Thunder. He already missed four games before the All-Star break with the same injury, but the Lakers withheld expectations on his status for the final five regular-season games.

After Sunday’s game in Dallas, the Lakers face the Thunder at home Tuesday, play consecutive games at Golden State on Thursday and against Phoenix at home Friday and finish the regular season Sunday against Utah. Read more: Lakers star Luka Doncic suffers hamstring injury in reality-check loss to Thunder Doncic’s injury left the Lakers backcourt extra shorthanded Thursday as Marcus Smart missed his sixth consecutive game Thursday. The veteran guard could return against Dallas, coach JJ Redick said.

He has been day-to-day since injuring his right ankle against Orlando on March 21. If Smart is unable to return in Doncic’s absence, the Lakers could shift even more ball-handling responsibility to Reaves and LeBron James while relying on Bronny James as an additional guard off the bench. The 21-year-old James has played in five consecutive games, tying his longest stretch of his second pro season.