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Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Slovenian guard Luka Doncic missed his fourth consecutive game due to a hamstring strain when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks, 124-104, on Thursday — the final game before the All-Star break.
After the win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided an injury update on Doncic, who reportedly practiced with his teammates before the Mavericks clash.
“He’s progressed really good,” Redick said of Doncic, via The OC Register.
“I think part of him, you know, wanted to push to get back part of the break, but, you know, we just got to be cautious with the soft tissue injuries. … We all feel comfortable with the decision to hold him out and should be good to go post-All-Star (break).”
Luka Doncic All-Star Game Status
So, will Doncic play in Sunday’s All-Star Game?
“That’s above my pay grade,” Redick responded.
Doncic, the leading vote getter for this year’s NBA All-Star Game, is due to represent Team World in the three-team mini tournament also featuring the USA Stars and USA Stripes — two teams represented by all U.S.-born players.
If Doncic isn’t cleared for the All-Star Game, he’d become the fourth high-profile player to be ruled out with injury. Thus far, Stephen Curry (knee) has been replaced by Brandon Ingram, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by Alperen Sengun and Giannis Antetokounmpo by De’Aaron Fox. Furthermore, the NBA added LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, bringing the total number of U.S. All-Stars to 16, the minimum required.
Lakers Enter All-Star Break
The addition of Fox definitely feels like the right move after the NBA, especially after the Spurs blasted the league for not rewarding their second-seeded team with at least two All-Stars, given that at least five other teams with inferior records will field at least two All-Stars apiece in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have every reason to feel confident entering the All-Star break, with JJ Redick’s men winning four of their last six games despite the injury issues. Redick is especially excited about the trade deadline acquisition, Luke Kennard, who has shot 45.5% from three since joining the Purple & Gold franchise.
“I think he’s in a good place,” Redick said of Kennard. “It takes a little bit of time. It would be nice to have time to practice. And, you know, I think he’s been very diligent with (assistant coach) Lindsay (Harding) in film study, and he’s been very diligent about asking questions. He’s sharp. He can pick things up quickly.”
Redick has emphasized that the Lakers, who rank 20th in 3P% and 23rd in 3PM, will enter the All-Star break with a focus on improving their efficiency. The key to that, Redick feels, will be to get Kennard to play alongside Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves at the same time. The star trio has played only eight games together this season because all three players have dealt with injuries at different points.
There’s optimism that all three will be on the floor when the Lakers host the Clippers on Jan. 20, the first game after the All-Star break.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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