Tragedy strikes the Lakers! They headed into tonight’s Timberwolves clash with their season on the line, hoping to win one at home and extend the series. While everyone expected them to come out with a sense of urgency and desperation, LeBron James and Co. had a slow start and got outscored 31-22 in the opening quarter. They somehow muscled a comeback after the break, but an unfortunate injury to Luka Doncic halted their momentum yet again.

It all unfolded in the final minutes of the first half. With the Lakers down by eight, Luka Doncic attacked the rim for a tough layup. But waiting for him at the basket were Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo. As the Slovenian star contorted midair between the two defenders, Donte caught him with a hard hit to the shoulder. Luka landed awkwardly, crashing to the floor in visible pain—grabbing at his back.

Clearly hurt, Doncic couldn’t continue right away. But under NBA rules, if he wanted any shot at returning later, he had to take the resulting free throws himself. So he did—draining both from the line despite the agony. Moments later, he was helped off the court by the Lakers’ medical staff, walking gingerly toward the locker room, clearly favoring his lower back.

Even before the back injury, Luka Doncic was rewriting the narrative. For a player often criticized for lackluster effort on defense, he was everywhere—diving, hustling, throwing his body into the fire. Around the five-minute mark in the second quarter, following a gritty defensive stop, Luka sprinted after a loose ball heading toward the sideline.

In full pursuit, he launched himself into the front row—where stars like Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were seated. The hustle was so relentless, Chalamet had to shift his legs as the 6’8″ Slovenian barreled in. It was a moment that spoke volumes. Luka was all in, willing to put his body on the line for the win.

Of course, Doncic’s departure was a massive blow for the Lakers, as he was their highest scorer in the first half. He had 12 points and four assists before he got hurt. With Luka out, the LA team struggled and finished the half trailing by ten points. But their misery did not last very long.

Luka Doncic returns after injury scare but fails to save the Lakers’ season

Following Luka’s nasty fall, Laker Nation was seriously concerned about his health, fearing a major injury. But that concern turned into hope when he returned to the floor in the second half. Yes, Doncic played through the back issue, understanding that his season was on the line. And he tried his best to turn the game around. At one point, the Lakers even got the lead by outscoring the Wolves 31-22 in the third quarter.

Of course, Doncic remained their highest scorer, finishing with 28 points and nine assists. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to save the Lakers’ season. Thanks to Rudy Gobert’s historic 27-point 24-rebound performance, the Wolves won the game by seven points and closed out the series in five games.

Thus, ending Lakers and Luka’s season, shattering their title dreams. Now, Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss’ focus will shift to preparing for next season and building a team around Doncic. Seems like its going to be an interesting summer for the LA franchise. Do you agree?