![\"Luka](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2251294232_97d7d0-e1767197296191.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Luka Doncic during a game against the San Antonio Spurs in December 2025<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>\u2019 injury concerns lingered heading into the All-Star break, with superstar guard Luka Doncic<\/a> sidelined for the team\u2019s final four games.<\/p>\n Doncic suffered the hamstring injury during the first quarter<\/a> of the Lakers\u2019 February 6 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> and has not played since.<\/p>\n The setback came at an unfortunate time, interrupting what had been another dominant stretch for the Slovenian star.<\/p>\n Head coach JJ Redick<\/a> struck an optimistic tone<\/a> throughout the recovery process, repeatedly suggesting the injury was not serious and that a return before the break was possible.<\/p>\n That scenario did not materialize, as Doncic remained sidelined for the Lakers\u2019 final game before the All-Star festivities against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, his latest update offers strong reason for optimism.<\/p>\n Lakers Star Luka Doncic Nearing Return From Injury<\/p>\n During All-Star media availability on Saturday, Doncic addressed his recovery and hinted that his return to the court is imminent. He even suggested he could participate in Sunday\u2019s All-Star Game.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel pretty good,\u201d Doncic told reporters, via the Los Angeles Times<\/a>. \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve been working to get back. Obviously [I] wanted to play the last game, but it wasn\u2019t possible. I was almost there, so I think I\u2019ll play a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n According to The Athletic\u2019s Dan Woike<\/a>, Doncic is expected to start Sunday\u2019s All-Star Game, marking his sixth appearance at the event.<\/p>\n Woike noted that Doncic will be on a minutes restriction and is expected to appear only briefly in the opening game of the night\u2019s format.<\/p>\n That update aligns with earlier reporting from NBA insider Marc Stein<\/a>, who said on Friday that Doncic was \u201con course to play for a short stint in Sunday\u2019s All-Star Game after a strong pregame workout Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lakers\u2019 next game is scheduled for February 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers<\/a>, giving Doncic additional recovery time following the break.<\/p>\n His participation in the All-Star Game would be a clear sign that he remains on track to return to full action when the regular season resumes.<\/p>\n Workload and Durability Remain Key Factors<\/p>\n Questions surrounding Doncic\u2019s durability have surfaced in recent months<\/a>, largely due to his immense workload.<\/p>\n Through 42 games, Doncic is averaging an NBA-leading 32.8 points per game while logging 35.5 minutes per contest, the eighth-highest<\/a> average in the league.<\/p>\n For much of the season, he ranked among the top three in minutes played, highlighting the physical demands placed on him as the Lakers\u2019 offensive engine.<\/p>\n Doncic has openly acknowledged<\/a> managing lingering soreness throughout the season, a reminder of the cumulative toll that comes with carrying such a heavy load.<\/p>\n The Lakers<\/a> have also navigated several injury interruptions involving Doncic this season, including a left finger sprain, recurring leg discomfort, and both lower back and ankle issues that have forced him to miss time.<\/p>\n In his absence, Los Angeles managed a 2\u20132 record over the four games he missed heading into the break, though the team suffered back-to-back losses to Western Conference contenders, the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> and San Antonio Spurs<\/a>.<\/p>\n With the Lakers sitting at 33-21 and firmly in the playoff mix, the organization is prioritizing long-term health over short-term urgency.<\/p>\n The team adopted a similarly cautious approach<\/a> with Austin Reaves<\/a>, who recently returned from a 19-game absence due to a calf injury.<\/p>\n The Lakers delayed his return beyond the initial recovery timeline to ensure he was fully healthy, avoiding the risk of aggravation.<\/p>\n Several factors now work in Doncic\u2019s favor. The All-Star Game being held in Los Angeles, followed by a three-game homestand, allows him to continue ramping up without the strain of travel.<\/p>\n All signs point towards a return in the near future, and for the Lakers, that timing could prove pivotal as they prepare for the season\u2019s final stretch.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMatt Evans<\/a> is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Lakers\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Luka Doncic during a game against the San Antonio Spurs in December 2025 The Los Angeles Lakers\u2019…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":481917,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-481916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=481916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/481917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=481916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=481916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=481916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}