Western Conference takes dramatic turn with injury to superstar
Luka Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points a game. Will the Los Angeles Lakers star's injury shake up the playoff picture in the West?
CHICAGO – The Western Conference just took a dramatic turn as the 2025-26 NBA regular season nears its conclusion. Los Angeles Lakers ' superstar Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season with a left hamstring injury and his status for the postseason is uncertain. The Lakers announced on April 3 that Doncic has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.
The All-Star guard suffered the injury in a 139-96 road loss to defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 33. 5 points a game in 64 games.
A five-time first-team All-NBA selection, Doncic will fall just short of the 65-game rule for postseason awards even though he's been a league MVP candidate. The Lakers (50-27) have posted a second straight 50-win season under second-year head coach JJ Redick, but are just a game ahead of the Denver Nuggets (49-28) for third in the West. Los Angeles has the 17 th toughest remaining NBA schedule with three of its last five games at home.
The Lakers end a two-game road trip on April 5 against the Dallas Mavericks (24-52), who are out of playoff contention in 13 th place in the West. They host Oklahoma City on April 7, face the Golden State Warriors on the road on April 9 and end their regular season with two home games versus the Phoenix Suns on April 10 and the Utah Jazz on April 12. The Thunder (61-16) are atop the West with the NBA’s best record.