The Lakers’ tough stretch took another hit Saturday night - and this one could sting for a while.
Star guard Luka Dončić was ruled out at halftime of a 103-88 loss to the Clippers after suffering a left leg contusion in the first half. The team confirmed the injury shortly after the break, and with Dončić sidelined, the Lakers’ offense never found its footing.
Coming into the night, Dončić was lighting up the league, leading all scorers with a career-best 35.2 points per game while also averaging 9.1 assists and 8.8 rebounds. But against the Clippers, he never quite looked like himself.
He finished the first half with 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting, including just 1-of-6 from deep. He added five rebounds and two assists, but also turned the ball over four times - a sign that something was off.
The Lakers trailed 54-39 at halftime, and with Dončić ruled out for the second half, any hopes of a comeback faded fast. Rookie Dalton Knecht took over Dončić’s spot in the lineup to start the third quarter, but the offense continued to sputter. The Clippers kept control throughout, and the Lakers never mounted a serious run.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Los Angeles was already down three key rotation players - Austin Reaves (calf), Deandre Ayton (elbow), and Rui Hachimura (groin) were all unavailable. That left the Lakers thin on both ends of the floor, and without Dončić’s playmaking and scoring, the margin for error was razor-thin.
Now, the big question looms: how long will Dončić be out? Any extended absence for the All-NBA guard would be a major blow to a team that’s already trying to stay afloat in a crowded Western Conference.
Dončić has been the engine behind everything the Lakers do - from initiating the offense to creating mismatches in crunch time. Without him, the Lakers don’t just lose their top scorer - they lose their identity.
There’s no sugarcoating it: this was a rough night for the Lakers. And depending on how serious Dončić’s injury is, it could be the start of a much tougher stretch ahead.