Luka Doncic is back.
After missing the last four Lakers games with a hamstring injury, the guard suited up for Team World at Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
He only played in one of his team’s two games, and he logged just two points and two assists in five minutes and five seconds of floor time.
But, he told reporters after his squad bowed out of the tournament that his ailing leg held up well.
“It was good,” he said of the hamstring. “Obviously, I wanted to go out there; the fans voted me to be in this game so I wanted to be here, be a part of it a little bit. But it felt good.”
Doncic started Team World’s opening game against USA Stars alongside Victor Wembanyama, Deni Avdija, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Each time he touched the ball, he was heckled by the pro-Clippers crowd. At one point, fans aimed “flopper” chants his way.
Doncic was unbothered, though, and looked like his usual self, dribbling with ease while smoothly navigating through defenses.
He never quite appeared to move at 100% pace, but there nonetheless were no apparent signs he was hurting.
After subbing out of Game 1, Doncic threw on a sweatsuit and never returned to game action. He warmed up prior to Team World’s second matchup of the day against USA Stripes and was seen attempting to make a half-court shot.
When asked if his day on the court meant he’d be back for Los Angeles when it takes on the Clippers in its first post-All-Star break game on Friday, he didn’t quite commit to that just yet.
“We’ll see,” he said.
Doncic sustained his hamstring injury on Feb. 5, when the Lakers took on the 76ers at Crypto.com Arena.
He left the game in the first half and did not return. He went on to miss the Lakers’ ensuing contests against the Warriors, Thunder, Spurs and Mavericks.
With Doncic sidelined, the Lakers went 2-2.
The 26-year-old — whom LA acquired in a blockbuster trade last season — said earlier in the weekend he was “almost” ready for the Lakers’ game against his ex-Dallas team last Thursday, “but it wasn’t possible.”
In 42 games for the Lakers this season, Doncic has averaged 32.8 points, 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Sunday’s All-Star Game marked Doncic’s first as a Laker, and he went on to call the experience “great.”
“Obviously, it was very busy,” he said. “But I was glad to do all this stuff.”