Just when the Los Angeles Lakers were looking like they were all set to go deep into the playoffs this season, the Purple and Gold have suffered a major setback. JJ Redick’s men were 13-1 from their last 14 games heading into the clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. It was a litmus test for the Lakers and also for Luka Doncic to go up against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but unfortunately, the Lakers’ star suffered a shocking injury, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

The Lakers suffered a blowout 139-96 loss, but following Doncic’s injury, the result took a backseat for everyone, including Redick. Doncic was first seen grabbing his hamstring late in the first half and aggravated it again in the third quarter, forcing him out of the game and prompting an MRI scheduled for Friday.

Following his injury, UCLA-trained physician Dr. Nav Singh Badesha raised serious concerns for the Lakers around Doncic’s injury. “Luka Doncic exited tonight vs. OKC with a left hamstring injury—grabbing the exact same spot from 8 weeks ago—a textbook high-risk re-aggravation setup,” the physician captioned his Instagram post. He shared a proper in-depth analysis video of the 27-year-old’s injury.

Another physician, Dr. Evan Jeffries, also reiterated the same sentiment. The Hoops Rehab Show host revealed that Doncic could miss as many as six weeks if the injury is deemed to be a Grade 2 hamstring strain, meaning he would miss a few games in the playoffs. However, he could also be on the sidelines for as little as one week if it turns out to be a Grade 1 hamstring strain, which would be the best-case scenario for the franchise and also for the player.

The 27-year-old guard missed four games in February in the lead-up to the All-Star Weekend because of an issue in his left hamstring. He still made a short appearance in the All-Star game while rehabbing from that injury. It seems like somehow that hamstring strain has resurfaced for the Lakers star as the regular season winds down.

After their defeat against the Thunder on Thursday, the Lakers have five games remaining in the regular season. Without Doncic on the court, it will be tough for Redick’s men to maintain their spot in the Western Conference, with other teams also hunting them down for a better seeding in the playoffs.  Also, their performance against the Thunder was a reality check for the Lakers, highlighting how they are a couple of levels below the reigning champions. It was a serious dent to their championship aspirations.

Lakers’ championship aspirations took a hit in defeat vs. Thunder amid Luka Doncic’s injury

The Los Angeles Lakers were flying in March with a 15-2 record, and as they kept winning games, there were expectations building on the Purple and Gold making a deep run, while some felt they could challenge for the title this season, given the way they were playing. However, Thursday’s game against the OKC Thunder came as a wake-up call for the Lakers.

“They beat the s— out of us,” said Austin Reaves, who committed four of the Lakers’ 18 turnovers in the first quarter as the Thunder built a 44-21 lead. “They’re the defending champs, [but] we’ve got to, you know, be better.”

Even Doncic had a poor outing against the Thunder until he got injured and was ruled out of the game. The star guard’s night was cut short with 12 points on 3-for-10 shooting (1-for-7 from the three-point range), four rebounds, seven assists, and six turnovers. The Lakers were outscored by 25 in the 26 minutes Doncic was on the court.

For now, the Lakers are only a game ahead of the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference, with the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves behind them in fifth and sixth position, respectively. While the Lakers have the tiebreaker over all three of those teams by winning the series against them, they cannot afford to lose all the momentum heading into the playoffs after enjoying a dominant form in March. The Purple and Gold have an inconsistent 7-6 record without their main man, so having a secured playoff berth is the only positive in this scenario.

However, even without Doncic, LeBron James has full faith in the Lakers’ roster. “Nothing has changed,” James said. “We still will be [together]. Obviously, we’ll be tested with the head of the snake [missing]. … But nothing is rattled. It’s one game, it’s part of the NBA season, it’s the defending champions. We get it. We understand.”

The entire Lakers’ management, team, and fanbase are awaiting the MRI reports. The best-case scenario for the Lakers would be if Doncic returns within a week. But overall, he is expected to get another week of rest and rehabilitation during the Play-In tournament between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs.