Will the Lakers’ sudden surge come to an end? Yes, that’s what the recent updates tell us. LeBron James, the 40-year-old franchise leader, sustained a groin injury tonight and is expected to be out for weeks. Meanwhile, the newest Lakers member, Luka Doncic, who was heavily criticized for his fitness, dropped a concerning injury update. In short, the LA side is living dangerously with only 20 games left in the regular season.

Firstly, the Saturday night match-up at TD Garden between the historic rivals was a sellout. The game had everything to offer, shooting display, defensive domination, and more importantly, Bron’s all-around effort, dropping 22-14-9. Moreover, the Lakers almost orchestrated a 20-point comeback in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, it all went to shambles when the superstar walked out to the locker room with 7 minutes left in the game.

Now that there isn’t any clear timeline for LeBron James’ return, Luka Doncic made a promising statement to lift the spirits of the Lakers Nation. At the presser, the 26-year-old guard said, “With LeBron out. I don’t know how much time. Like I said before, we gotta have a ‘next-man-up’ mentality. You know, injuries have been throughout the season. Just get up. Be the next man up.” 

Importantly, this could not have been said by anyone better than Luka. Before coming into the Lakers’ fold, the Mavs went through a series of injury patches and the team still managed to put up a fight. Similarly, the Lakers may look like a short-handed side in King James’ absence, but the team has enough playmakers, like Austin Reaves and Luka Magic to run the floor.

Unfortunately, it’s only possible if the rest of the roster is healthy. And it looks like the team isn’t 100% fit barring the superstar’s latest exit. Yes, Luka Doncic is in trouble!

Luka Doncic dropped concerning health update

Following a calf injury, sustained during the Christmas Day game, Luka Doncic didn’t lace up for at least one month. Before he could even recover, the Lakers had traded him and he played his first game since the injury in the Purple & Gold jersey. It was a rusty run and the Slovenian star took time to get his rhythm back. 

He still hasn’t got to his personal best. Speaking of tonight’s performance, Doncic said, “I feel like I didn’t play up to my level.” Apart from finding his rhythm back, there could be another problem in his sub-par performance, too. Speaking at the post-game presser, the guard confirmed that he had injury discomfort, and it was caught on camera.

A reporter asked if he had any issues with his back, highlighting Luka’s extended stretching sessions that aired on the broadcast. The star had nothing to hide, as he acknowledged it and said, “Have been playing since the fall. Just dealing with it.” While there isn’t any clarity on the occasion, the reporter confirmed that Doncic took a hard fall to his back in LA a few days ago. 

Currently, there isn’t any update on benching the star. So, the fans can take a breather and wait for LeBron James to return to action!