Already down the services of one superstar, the Los Angeles Lakers will be without Luka Doncic for at least one week.
The star guard will be sidelined due to a left finger sprain and lower-left leg contusion, the Lakers announced on Sunday.
Doncic’s injury comes after the 26-year-old racked up 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists through 35 minutes in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Slovenian logged back-to-back 40-point games to open the year, averaging 46.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists on 62.0/31.8/79.3 per cent shooting splits during the Lakers’ 1-1 start.
The five-time all-NBAer became the first player in NBA history to open a season with back-to-back games of at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Meanwhile, L.A. was already without LeBron James, as the 40-year-old recovers from a nerve injury ahead of his record-setting 23rd NBA season. James is not expected to return earlier than mid-November.
Doncic — in his first training camp with the Lakers — only played one pre-season game as the team allowed the five-time all-star to ramp back into action gradually after playing for Slovenia at FIBA Eurobasket during the summer.
