Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic suffered a left hamstring injury during Thursday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team confirmed he will undergo an MRI on Friday to assess the extent of the strain.

Injury Occurs During Loss to Thunder

The injury occurred during the first half of the game, which the Lakers lost 139-97. Doncic briefly returned to the court after halftime but was sidelined again in the third quarter after appearing to re-aggravate the injury.

Doncic Collapses in Pain

Doncic was visibly in pain, collapsing to the floor after a play against Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams. He left the game with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter. He had been playing exceptionally well, scoring at least 40 points in five of his previous seven games.

Concern from Opponent and Teammates

Jalen Williams, who guarded Doncic, expressed empathy, recalling his own hamstring injury this season which caused him to miss 27 games. He described the scene as “spooky” and wished Doncic a speedy recovery. Williams even allowed the ball to go out of bounds to allow the Lakers time to attend to their injured star.

Lakers forward Jake LaRavia also expressed his disappointment, stating that witnessing Doncic's injury was difficult for the team. He extended prayers for Doncic's recovery.

Reaves Also Sustains Injury

In addition to Doncic’s injury, Lakers guard Austin Reaves also sustained a back injury during the game. Coach JJ Redick described it as an intercostal strain, located between the ribs. Reaves was able to play through the pain for the most part but sat out the fourth quarter.

Team to Assess Reaves' Condition

Redick indicated that the team would assess Reaves' condition on Friday to determine his availability for future games. The Lakers’ medical team will focus on both players’ recovery, and the coaches will need to evaluate the team dynamics and strategies given the potential absence of key players.