Luka Doncic will miss the remainder of the regular season after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Lakers announced.

The injury is a significant blow to the Lakers as they head into the postseason. According to Pro Football Doc, Doncic is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks, a timeline that could delay his return until the second round of the playoffs at the earliest, or possibly the Western Conference finals if the Lakers advance that far.

As of Friday, the Lakers were third in the Western Conference, holding a one-game lead over the Denver Nuggets. Los Angeles has already clinched the Pacific Division and locked up a top-six seed, ensuring it will avoid the play-in tournament.

Doncic finished the regular season as the NBA’s leading scorer at 33.5 points per game. But the injury also carries awards implications. Because he will remain at 64 games played, Doncic falls short of the NBA’s 65-game minimum required for most major postseason honors.

His agent, Bill Duffy, said they plan to file an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge” to the 65-game rule. Doncic’s case could draw attention, given that two of the games he missed this season were for the birth of his child in Slovenia.

For now, though, the Lakers will move into the playoffs without their top scorer, and likely without Doncic for at least the opening stretch of the postseason.

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