The Los Angeles Lakers’ commanding performance against the Milwaukee Bucks took another unsettling turn Wednesday night when Luka Doncic appeared to injure his ankle late in the fourth quarter.
Doncic landed awkwardly on Kyle Kuzma’s foot while making a basket with 4:25 remaining at Fiserv Forum. He stayed down briefly as Lakers personnel attended to him before getting up to shoot the ensuing free throw.
The five-time All-NBA selection completed the three-point play before checking out with Los Angeles leading 114-90. Cam Carr replaced Doncic, who headed to the locker room.
He finished with 32 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 32 minutes and 20 seconds.
The apparent injury came after fellow Lakers guard Austin Reaves had already limped to the locker room during the third quarter.
Luka Doncic Suffers Apparent Ankle Injury Against Bucks
Video of the fourth-quarter sequence showed Doncic landing on Kuzma’s foot after releasing his shot.
Lakers players gathered around their teammate as he received attention near the basket.
Doncic eventually stood up and made his free throw before leaving the floor.
Doncic headed to the locker room after the incident, identifying his ankle as the area of concern.
Dr. Evan Jeffries, a physical therapist who specializes in sports injury analysis, suggested the mechanism was consistent with a possible inversion ankle sprain.
However, that assessment was based on video, and the Lakers had not announced an official diagnosis.
The severity of Doncic’s apparent injury remained unknown.
The timing was especially frustrating because Los Angeles had controlled the game and appeared headed toward its seventh consecutive victory.
The Lakers entered Wednesday with an NBA-best 10-2 record, driven largely by Doncic’s remarkable offensive production.
He was averaging 39.3 points, 7.9 assists and 7.8 rebounds before facing Milwaukee.
Doncic had also scored at least 40 points in four of his previous five appearances before Monday’s victory over Atlanta.
He recorded 32 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in that 124-114 win over the Hawks.
His latest injury scare now raises questions about his availability for Los Angeles’ upcoming games.
Lakers Deal With Multiple Injury Scares
Doncic’s departure followed an earlier incident involving Reaves.
The Lakers guard appeared to hurt himself on a missed running dunk with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter.
Reaves stayed in the game for another three minutes before checking out with 5:20 left and Los Angeles leading 77-60.
He headed to the locker room alongside team medical personnel after contributing 18 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals.
The Lakers were already without Quentin Grimes, who missed his second consecutive game because of a sprained finger on his right shooting hand.
Those absences could complicate coach JJ Redick’s rotation if either Doncic or Reaves requires additional recovery time.
Los Angeles is scheduled to face the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, Nov. 15.
The three-day break before that matchup could provide both players additional recovery time, depending on their injuries.
For now, the Lakers await further information on their star backcourt after an otherwise impressive performance in Milwaukee.
Lakers Hit With Another Injury Scare as Luka Doncic Limps Off vs. Bucks