Luka Doncic gave the Los Angeles Lakers a major scare on Thursday night. Midway through their matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, the MVP candidate suddenly grabbed the back of his left leg and headed straight to the locker room, immediately raising concerns about a potential injury setback. As uncertainty spread through the arena, the team initially offered no clarity on the issue’s severity.

Moments later, however, a key Lakers reporter provided an important update that shed light on Doncic’s condition. Mike Trudell, the Lakers’ sideline reporter, confirmed the diagnosis shortly after halftime, stating, “He’s out for the game due to left leg soreness.”

After leaving the court with about three minutes left in the first half, the Lakers initially listed Doncic as questionable with a hamstring injury. However, he did not rejoin the team after halftime and was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Even with limited minutes on the floor (15), Luka Doncic had 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists by then. Still, that injury bugged the 6x All-Star as it also probably resulted in five turnovers during the Lakers’ rough first half against the Sixers. Luka also missed all four of his 3-point attempts, so during his exit, Doncic was animated, showing a level of frustration after the injury.

The unfortunate injury meant the league’s scoring leader didn’t reach 20 points for the first time since December 21. Luckily for the Lakers, it didn’t affect them much as Austin Reaves went off for 35 points (12-17 FG) to lead the team to a big win over the red-hot 76ers, who had entered the game on a five-game winning streak.

Head coach JJ Redick addressed Doncic’s latest injury concern. “He got some soreness in his hamstring. He didn’t feel like it was good enough to go back in, neither did the medical [staff]. So we held him out,” the Lakers coach said. “He’ll get some imaging. Too early to say if any injury, but just had a sore hamstring.”

This hamstring issue is particularly concerning as it comes just a week after another injury scare that highlighted player safety concerns. Last time it happened, Luka used NSFW language while Redick was disappointed with the league.

Luka Doncic’s landing problem against the Cavaliers

While the emotional return for LeBron James remained the headline on Jan. 29, the incident was a major scare for Laker Nation, as a season-ending injury to Doncic would have been catastrophic. And it was close. Luka attempted a fadeaway three-pointer but lost his balance, tumbling onto the uneven ground beyond the court.

The Cavaliers’ arena features the NBA’s only raised floor, which prompted JJ to call a timeout when Doncic couldn’t immediately get up after rolling his ankle.

The courtside microphone caught Doncic venting his frustration, “Who the f— made this floor, god—–!” The video first surfaced on X via Post Daws, then gained wider traction after being reposted by Bleacher Report. He was able to play in the second quarter and finish the game, but player safety remained a key issue, which Redick addressed.

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While he was able to play in the second quarter and finish the game, the incident reignited ongoing concerns about player safety at the venue, concerns that Lakers head coach JJ Redick was quick to address.

“There’s been a number of injuries over the years in this building because of the floor,” the head coach said. “It is absolutely a safety hazard. I don’t know why it’s still like that. I don’t.”

Doncic’s slip highlighted just how serious the danger can be. He considered himself “lucky” when compared to what happened to Heat star Dru Smith, who had suffered a season-ending third-degree ACL sprain from the same 10-inch drop-off.

Now, with Doncic dealing with a hamstring issue that could have long-lasting effects on the season, the Lakers have a fresh reason to worry about the court that has injured so many players before.