Luka Doncic laid on his back with his hands over his face.
His anguish was palpable.
Amid his hottest stretch of the season, one that was propelling him toward the top of the MVP race, he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain midway through the third quarter of the Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Thunder on Thursday.
The injury typically sidelines players for about a month, a major blow for the Lakers considering the playoffs begin April 18.
It’s a cruel twist of fate.
Doncic was extinguished right when he was exploding.
He averaged the second-most points in March in NBA history (37.5), behind Michael Jordan. He led the Lakers on a 16-2 run.
On Thursday morning, he was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for games in March. And he was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Month over that period, a nod he received for the first time in his career.
That evening?
He was laid out on the floor, unsure of his future.
The worst part of it is the timing. Things were finally clicking for Doncic. Really clicking.
Lakers coach JJ Redick kept describing Doncic as “clear-headed.”
Basketball had become his refuge amid the turmoil in his personal life.
And it had become obvious that he had truly embraced Los Angeles as his home following the shocking trade last season that ripped him away from Dallas, where he thought he’d spend his entire career.
He was on the verge of leading the 17-time champion Lakers into the playoffs as real contenders. He had the rest of the league on the edge of their seat, unsure what he and his team were capable of doing in the postseason.
In addition to becoming the 10th player in NBA history to score over 600 points in March, he was averaging 8 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.3 steals over that stretch. He was trying on defense. He was a complete player who was challenging Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama for the league’s most prestigious individual honor.
Then he went down.
Doncic, who was grabbing at his left hamstring in the second quarter, felt it seize while driving against Jalen Williams with 7:39 left in the third period.
He hopped a few times. He doubled over in pain. Then he slowly sat down, collapsing onto his back.
What a shame.
Now, both he and the Lakers are plunged into uncertainty.
Will he be able to return in time to help the Lakers? Will he qualify for awards using the “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge,” even though he will miss the 65-game threshold? Are the Lakers toast?
The narrative has changed in whiplash-inducing fashion for a player who leads the league in scoring (33.5), is third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6).
It has also shifted for the third-seeded Lakers, who now need to refind their identity after the Big 3 had finally jelled.
It took them until spring to find their groove, with Doncic as the head of the snake, Austin Reaves as the second option and LeBron James as third. And then with the playoffs five games away, the rug was ripped from underneath them.
For the Lakers, this was dizzying.
And for Doncic, it was gut-wrenching.
Over the last month, Doncic was inspiring MVP chants during road games. He had 51-point and 60-point performances. He made a game-winning shot against the Nuggets in overtime.
He was him.
Now the Lakers need to figure out who they are without him.