LeBron James and the Lakers were on the road Monday evening to face the Kings. It was Los Angeles’ third of four meetings in 2025-26 vs. Sacramento.
Despite Luka Doncic scoring a game-high 42 points, it was not enough to lift the Lakers to a win. They lost 124-112 to the Kings. After the game, Doncic gave a troubling update to the media. He said he felt discomfort in his inner thigh/groin area ahead of tipoff. Doncic said it lingered throughout the game. It’s unknown how serious the injury is and if Luka will miss any time. The Lakers cannot afford for Luka Doncic to miss extended time.
Luka Doncic could miss the second game of a back-to-back on Tuesday vs. the Hawks
Luka Doncic had his inner thigh/groin area treated in the second half tonight. He said he was unsure if he was going to be able to play coming into tonight. He will have to see how he feels tomorrow for the b2b vs. ATL. pic.twitter.com/ezY0c85ogr
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 13, 2026
With a loss to the Kings on Monday, the Lakers are 23-14. That is fifth in the Western Conference and eight and a half games out of first place. Los Angeles is on a small three-game losing streak and will look to bounce back Tuesday vs. the Hawks. Against Sacramento, Luka Doncic had a strong performance. He finished with 42 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and four steals.
Speaking with reporters after the game, Doncic shared he was dealing with a minor injury heading into Monday. Luka said he felt something when he was warming up. However, he powered through and gave the Lakers a quality individual effort in 36 minutes of action. It was not enough to lift the team to a win. Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters that Luka Doncic had his groin area worked on in the second half.
Los Angeles is back home on Tuesday to face the Hawks. It’s unknown if Luka Doncic will play in the second game of a back-to-back. Especially after the latest injury news surrounding Doncic. The Lakers cannot risk losing Luka to a long-term injury. He started 30 of their 37 games in 2025-26. In the team’s best interest, they should bench Doncic vs. Atlanta.
🚨 Luka Doncic says that he is uncertain for tomorrow’s game against the Hawks
He is dealing with a inner thigh/groin issue, per @McTen pic.twitter.com/FHNfMy1A3A
— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) January 13, 2026
JJ Redick’s squad could be extremely short-handed on Tuesday if Luka doesn’t play. Austin Reaves is currently out due to a long-term calf injury. Additionally, 41-year-old LeBron James’ status has been questionable for back-to-backs in 2025-26. Los Angeles could be without their top three offensive players vs. the Hawks.
Luka Doncic has been playing at an All-NBA level for the Lakers through his first 30 games. However, analysts are starting to become worried about his usage rate this season. There is a fear that the Lakers are having Doncic expend too much energy early in the year, and he’s risking injury. Will the 26-year-old play on Tuesday vs. Atlanta?
