The Los Angeles Lakers will look to bounce back from a 135-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday when they travel to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers on Saturday night.
Unfortunately for L.A., they’ll be down a key contributor for the contest.
Luka Doncic ruled out vs. Blazers with groin soreness
Star guard Luka Doncic has been officially ruled out of the game due to left groin soreness. It’s the first game that Doncic will miss due to the injury. It remains to be seen if any other absences will follow.
In addition to Doncic, Austin Reaves (left calf strain) has also been ruled out of the game. Reaves has been sidelined since Christmas with the injury.
On the season, Doncic is leading the NBA in scoring with 33.6 points per game. He's also adding 8.7 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per performance. Replacing his production won't be easy for the Lakers.
Heading into the game against Portland, the Lakers have won just five out of their last 10 games, and they've slipped to sixth in the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Blazers have won seven out of their last 10 and sit ninth in the West.
It will be the third meeting of the season between Portland and L.A. The teams split the first two meetings. The Blazers bested the Lakers in October and the Lakers returned the favor in November.
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