Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is questionable for Friday’s game against Brooklyn with left hamstring soreness, as relayed b y Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Doncic has played in 61 of the Lakers’ 73 games this season. He still needs 20-plus minutes in four of the team’s final nine games to qualify for major postseason awards like MVP and All-NBA.
It’s a little concerning to see another soft-tissue issue pop up, but the fact that he’s listed as questionable nd is dealing with soreness rather than a strain suggests it may not be serious. With the Nets on a nine-game losing streak and 19 losses in their last 21 games, Friday could be the perfect spot to rest him if needed.
On a better note, Rui Hachimura was upgraded to questionable after missing the last two games with a right calf injury.
Deandre Ayton is off tomorrow’s injury report after sitting out Wednesday’s win at Indiana due to back issues. Marcus Smart, however, will miss his third straight game with a right ankle contusion.
After Monday’s loss in Detroit, Austin Reaves called Smart the team’s “glue guy” for his unselfishness, defense and intensity. Head coach JJ Redick echoed the importance of getting healthy down the stretch.
“That’s important for us, that we can get healthy and we can play our rotation,” Redick told reporters. “Post-Luke Kennard trade, I think when all nine guys have played, we’ve been a good basketball team. You need Smart for his ball-handling, you need Smart for his defense, you need Rui for his shooting. Those pieces are important to complement everybody.”
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