Luka Doncic exits early; MRI on left hamstring scheduled after Lakers edge 76ers
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LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5 — The Los Angeles Lakers lost Luka Doncic to a sore left leg late in the second quarter but held on for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. Head coach JJ Redick said the All-Star guard will undergo an MRI on his left hamstring Friday.
Doncic limped to the bench with 3:03 remaining in the first half, kicking the scorer’s table before covering his face with his arms. He finished with 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting, four rebounds, two assists and five turnovers in 16 minutes. The 26-year-old never returned from the locker room after halftime.
“He felt some soreness in his hamstring and didn’t think he could keep playing,” Redick said. “Our medical staff agreed, so we held him out until we get imaging.”
Hachimura steps in, Reaves sparks comeback
Rui Hachimura opened the second half in Doncic’s spot and contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, including a dunk with 12.3 seconds left that pushed Los Angeles’ lead from two to four.
Austin Reaves, playing on a minutes restriction in just his second game back from a calf strain, scored 35 points on 12-for-17 shooting to rally the Lakers from a 14-point third-quarter deficit. LeBron James added 17 points and 10 assists but committed eight turnovers, matching his season high.
Injury history and standings impact
Doncic has already missed eight games this season with various leg issues. He entered Thursday leading the NBA with 33.4 points per game, along with 8.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds. The matchup against Philadelphia marked only the 10th time this season that Doncic, James and Reaves have appeared together; James missed the first 14 games with sciatica, while Reaves sat out 19 games with the calf injury.
Los Angeles hosts the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Doncic’s availability will depend on Friday’s test results. “Hopefully it’s nothing major,” Reaves said. “He’s our best player and the engine of what we do.”
Source: ESPN
