After a 108–90 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 on Tuesday night, Los Angeles finds itself trailing 0–1 to start the second-round series — and still without Luka Dončić. As the Lakers prepare for Game 2 on Thursday, the uncertainty surrounding their star remains.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair publicly criticized Luka Dončić’s continued absence before Game 1, highlighting the player’s injury status and contract context. The Los Angeles Lakers star has been

OKLAHOMA CITY — Luka Dončić is unlikely to play in the Los Angeles Lakers’ second-round series against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The star guard said Wednesday that the Grade 2 hamstring injury he suffered in early April initially came with an eight-week recovery timetable.

It shouldn't take an arbitrator to ensure that Luka Dončić is picked among the best 15 players in the NBA this season

Masai Ujiri was asked if he would have traded Luka Doncic. His answer: pic.twitter.com/lMa6y3yNaO “We have to respect everybody and everything that happened here,” he said. “He [Dončić] is a Hall of Fame player. He is gone. He will always be a Maverick.

Hamstring injuries will keep the Lakers' star guard and the Thunder's standout forward out of the lineup for the series opener.

Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss suggested this week that general manager Rob Pelinka moving in silence likely played a big role in managing to pry Luka Dončić away from the Dallas Mavericks last season.