Luka Dončić was absent from the second half of the Saturday matchup involving the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers.
Prior to the commencement of the second half, the Lakers declared Dončić unavailable due to a contusion in his left leg. The extent of the injury and a projected date for his comeback were not immediately apparent. Furthermore, the exact moment he incurred the injury remained unknown.
Following a previous performance where he amassed 45 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds in a victory against the Utah Jazz, Dončić demonstrated poor shooting efficiency during the initial half of the game versus the Clippers. In 19 minutes on the court, he registered 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and committed 4 turnovers, hitting 4 out of 13 field goal attempts and 1 out of 6 three-pointers.
The Lakers commenced the second half trailing by a score of 54-39. They began the contest without several key players: Austin Reaves (calf issue), Rui Hachimura (groin strain), Deandre Ayton (elbow discomfort), and Gabe Vincent (back problem).
Heading into Saturday’s competition, the Lakers possessed a record of 19 wins and 7 losses, placing them in the fourth position in the Western Conference standings, behind the Thunder, Spurs, and Nuggets.
Any period of unavailability for Dončić would exacerbate the Lakers’ precarious position, potentially causing them to descend further in the Western Conference rankings. Having been selected to the first-team All-NBA five times, Dončić came into Saturday’s game as the league’s top scorer, averaging 35.2 points per game, complemented by 9.1 assists, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per contest.
