Luka Doncic Out Multiple Games With Finger, Leg Injuries
Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been diagnosed with a left finger spain and a lower left leg contusion, the team announced today (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic). The Slovenian star will be reexamined in about a week.
While it’s obviously unfortunate that Doncic is expected to miss multiple games, a source tell Woike there are no long-term concerns about the injuries (Twitter link).
The Lakers play four times this week — at Sacramento on Sunday, vs. Portland on Monday, at Minnesota on Wednesday, and at Memphis on Friday — before returning home to face Miami next Sunday.
Backup center Jaxson Hayes, who is battling left knee soreness, has also been downgraded to out for tonight’s game in Sacramento. It’s the second straight absence for Hayes, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN (via Twitter).
As we previously relayed, Doncic received MVP chants from the home crowd during Friday’s victory over Minnesota. The 26-year-old was off to an incredible start to the season, averaging a league-high 46.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.0 steal through two games.
Doncic reportedly sustained the finger injury early in Friday’s game and had the digit wrapped for the remainder of the contest. It’s unclear when the left leg injury occurred — he suffered a minor injury to the opposite leg in Tuesday’s season-opening loss at Golden State.
With Doncic out and LeBron James (sciatica on his left side) still sidelined, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart and Dalton Knecht are among the candidates for increased play-making responsibilities.
Doncic appeared in a career-low 50 games last season, largely due to a calf strain he sustained on Christmas. He received lots of attention for getting in better shape during the offseason and had an excellent showing at EuroBasket 2025 with Slovenia.
Timberwolves Notes: Randle, Finch, Defense, Dillingham
In an interview with Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, forward Julius Randle explains why he re-signed with the Timberwolves this summer. In addition to seeking stability and happiness both on and off the court, Randle says his strong relationship with head coach Chris Finch also played a significant factor in his decision.
“I just think Finch ultimately trusts in me as a player,” Randle said. “I think he knows how I approach the game and how I work. I think that builds trust. It’s the same thing with him. I know that every night, Finch’s ultimate job and motivation is that for every game, he’s going out there to win.
“Finch is a hell of a competitor. He wants to win at every single thing. He wants to win every single game. I know coming into the game that is his mindset. And myself, I want to win just as badly. So the trust is always going to be there.
“It’s also understanding too that, through adversity, how he showed up for me as well. That was important for me, knowing that he had my back. He was a big reason for me coming to Minnesota. He wanted me here. So that’s my guy, man. I’ll ride with Finch all day, for sure.”
Medina’s interview with Randle covers several other topics, including his relationships with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, the team’s belief that it can win a championship, and more. It’s worth checking out in full for any fans of Randle and/or the Wolves:
There’s more from Minnesota:
- Randle previously spoke about this offseason as being perhaps the happiest one he’s had in the NBA. Medina asked him why it was so enjoyable. “Just balance, man,” Randle replied. “I think I was able to refresh. I took about a month just to spend time with the family and travel and vacation and all of that different type of stuff. I was feeling refreshed and motivated, basketball-wise. You’re coming into a season knowing that you’re competing for a championship. So I think that makes the training fun because you got a lot of motivation behind it. I just woke up every day excited to be able to do what I love to do. Knowing that I’m coming to a spot where I’m appreciated and somewhere I’m able to enjoy coming to work every single day, that was important for me.”
- The Timberwolves have made the Western Conference finals each of the past two seasons largely due to their stellar defense, which ranked first and sixth in the league during those campaigns. However, their defensive effort has been sorely lacking through most of the first two games of 2025/26, writes Jon Kraczynski of The Athletic. “Honestly, it was just effort,” Donte DiVincenzo said after Friday’s lopsided loss to the Lakers. “Collectively, we know we didn’t bring the effort. A team that we knocked out of the playoffs is going to come in with more hunger. … They wanted to rip your head off. I think we just didn’t match their energy tonight.”
- Second-year guard Rob Dillingham has been out of the rotation in the early going, and when he was put in for garbage-time minutes on Friday, he suffered a broken nose nose after taking an elbow to the face, Krawczynski adds. The 20-year-old is questionable for Sunday’s matchup vs. Indiana, per the league’s latest injury report.
Raptors Notes: Ingram, Barrett, Murray-Boyles
Former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram has become something of an afterthought around the league after battling a variety of injuries in recent years. He was limited to just 18 games last season, largely due to a severe ankle sprain, and didn’t play at all for the Raptors in 2024/25 after being acquired from New Orleans in a February trade.
“There was a time when I did not necessarily lose love for the game, but I just had a lot of uncertainty,” Ingram told Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “Going on two months, three months with the ankle. ‘When am I gonna be healthy again?’ That dawned on me a little bit. … I was like, ‘Damn, I don’t know when I’m going to be back to my normal self.’”
Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca also takes an in-depth look at Ingram, writing that the 28-year-old decided to make several changes this offseason to try and be more available in 2025/26. Despite publicly coming across as nonchalant at times, Ingram is known for being a focused and relentless worker behind the scenes.
“I think most of my injuries have come from overworking,” Ingram said. “I don’t know how to stay out of the gym. Every day, I want to do a two-a-day. So, it’s about knowing when to rest, when to be out on the floor, when to go hard, when certain days are mental days. It’s all about that … I’m just trying to do everything I can do that’s in my control.”
According to both Koreen and Grange, Ingram has established himself as a leader on a young Raptors team, both on and off the court. The former No. 2 overall pick says he’s not trying to prove any of his doubters wrong, but rather prove himself right.
“I know my own vision for where I want to be and that’s at the top of the league,” Ingram said, per Grange. “I keep that in my mind. You work for it and you wait for it to show up. Eventually things are going to take a turn, and it’s going to be the most beautiful thing ever.”
Here’s more from Toronto:
- While turnovers (4.5 per contest) have been an issue, Ingram has otherwise gotten off to a solid start with the Raptors, averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal on .472/.333/.800 shooting through two games (32.0 MPG). “What I was most impressed with was how poised we were on the offensive end,” Ingram told Koreen after Wednesday’s season-opening win in Atlanta. “When the game slowed down and we had to go into our execution, everybody was poised and we just got the best shot.”
- Guard/forward RJ Barrett was eligible for a contract extension before the season began, but his agents didn’t have serious discussions with the team about a potential new deal, according to Grange, who says the Raptors want to get a better idea of how Barrett fits alongside Ingram and Scottie Barnes before deciding what to do with him going forward. “Realistically, those things don’t really happen until the end of the season anyway,” Barrett said about extension talks. “I’m not really thinking about it. OK, I lied, I’m thinking about it. But more so I’m trying to focus on winning and making an impact here. When you do that, that’s how the rest gets taken care of.”
- Lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles is inching closer to making his regular season debut. He’s considered day-to-day with a right forearm strain, Grange writes, and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest in Dallas. No other Raptor appears on the injury report.
Thunder Notes: Holmgren, SGA, Wallace, Mitchell
Thunder big man Chet Holmgren entered Saturday’s game with a questionable tag due to lower back soreness before being upgraded to available. And after a hot start in Atlanta in which he scored 14 first-quarter points, Holmgren suffered a dislocated thumb in the second quarter on a failed block attempt, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscriber link).
According to Martinez, Holmgren wanted to pop the injured digit into place himself and return to the game, but the team insisted he needed to undergo X-rays. The 23-year-old wound up having a big night once he was medically cleared to resume playing, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and a block in 27 minutes.
“He’s always got that,” head coach Mark Daigneault said of Holmgren’s toughness. “He’s always ready to go. Great competitor. … He came out tonight teeing up those shots and saw a couple go in. He had a great game flow tonight.”
Reigning NBA MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes Holmgren, who signed a rookie scale max extension this offseason, is primed for a huge year.
“He’s stronger, faster and more explosive,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per Martinez. “He’s just getting more comfortable. With a guy with his natural feel, as the games go on, he’ll continue to grow and be better. We’ve just got to continue to ignite him as teammates.”
Here’s more on the defending champions:
- After double-overtime thrillers against Houston and Indiana resulted in Gilgeous-Alexander playing a combined 93 minutes, the superstar guard got some much-needed rest on Saturday, according to Martinez (subscription required). Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes, and was able to sit out the entire fourth quarter with the Thunder firmly in control of their third straight victory. “It’s the gauntlet of the NBA season,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You never know what to expect. In the summertime, you try to prepare for the worst in terms of load-wise, and I think we’ve done a great job of being ready for the start of the season. We’ve had some pop for these first three games despite having a few double-overtime games.”
- Thunder guard Cason Wallace, who was competing against his older brother Keaton Wallace, did an admirable job slowing down Hawks star Trae Young, Martinez adds in the same story. Young finished with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting, Martinez notes. “He’s just got unbelievable hands, athleticism, toughness and a combination of things,” Daigneault said of Cason. “He seems to be a dude who, when he’s near the ball, he comes up with it. … He’s the guy at the bottom of a pile who’s gonna get the fumble and come up with the football.”
- Ajay Mitchell is off to an excellent start to the season, averaging 18.7 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal on .467/.417/1.000 shooting through three games (27.0 MPG). As Martinez writes for The Oklahoman (subscriber link), Mitchell poured in a career-high 26 points in Thursday’s win, which was particularly meaningful for the second-year guard, as it occurred on his late grandmother’s birthday. “She was very important (to me),” Mitchell said of his grandmother, who passed away in February. “She was always there for me. She was definitely on my mind this whole night. … I’m glad I got to play that way for her. She means the world to me, so I’m glad I did that.”
Bulls Notes: Smith, Williams, Jones, Buzelis
Jalen Smith is getting another shot to be the Bulls‘ primary backup center after Zach Collins underwent surgery on October 18 to repair a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune.
As Poe details, Smith signed a three-year, $27MM contract with Chicago during the 2024 offseason and opened 2024/25 as the main backup to Nikola Vucevic. He initially lost the job due to an injury: he suffered a concussion in February, and Collins — who was acquired earlier that month in the three-team deal that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento — thrived while Smith was out.
“At the end of the day, this is a big-boy’s league,” Smith said. “You can’t be salty over stuff like that. It was out of my control. I got a concussion, Zach started playing well. If I was the coach, I would’ve made the same decision.”
While Smith harbors no ill will over the demotion, he’s determined to reclaim the role this season. The 25-year-old big man went 0-of-7 from the field in 14 minutes in Wednesday’s opener, but bounced back with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes during Saturday’s victory in Orlando.
Here’s more on the Bulls, who are now 2-0 after Saturday’s win:
- Matas Buzelis‘ foul trouble created an opportunity for Patrick Williams on Saturday, and the former No. 4 overall pick took advantage with an assertive performance on both ends of the court, according to Poe. Williams finished with 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 29 minutes. “I think I played good ball — but most importantly, we won,” Williams said. “That’s kind of how I judge myself, no matter how I played. If we win, great. If we lost, I didn’t do enough.”
- Tre Jones, who re-signed with the Bulls on a three-year, $24MM contract over the summer, continues to play well with Coby White (calf strain) out. The 25-year-old point guard was a game-high plus-17 on Saturday while recording 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and a career-high five steals in 29 minutes, Poe notes.
- In an interview with DJ Siddiqi of RG.org, second-year forward Buzelis discusses his individual and team goals for 2025/26, players he looked up to growing up, and more.
Bucks Notes: Giannis, Future, Turner, Kuzma
Arguably the biggest storyline of the NBA offseason was the seemingly uncertain future of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who reportedly flirted with the idea of leaving Milwaukee, resulting in brief trade talks with New York, which is said to be his preferred destination if he were to ask to be moved.
When asked about that ESPN report, Antetokounmpo expressed confidence in the Bucks’ revamped roster and made it clear he’s not seeking a change of scenery at this point, but stopped short of stating that he’s committed to Milwaukee for the long term.
As Jamal Collier of ESPN writes, the Bucks insist they’re on the same page with the two-time MVP, and their bold offseason moves were reflective of their desire to keep Antetokounmpo happy. While people around the league were critical of the decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard‘s contract in order to sign Myles Turner in free agency, team sources tell Collier the Bucks were concerned about potentially wasting a year of Antetokounmpo’s prime.
“The biggest misconception is that this was a panic move,” a team source told ESPN. “It wasn’t. It was a basketball decision. Dame on the other end of it, you’re not sure what that was going to look like. Meanwhile, Myles is a perfect fit. We want to win here.”
Antetokounmpo is technically under contract through 2027/28, but that final season is a player option. The 30-year-old forward will be extension-eligible next summer, Collier notes, and there’s an expectation that he will continue to push management to be as aggressive as possible.
“Always got to hold ownership’s feet to the fire,” a source close to Antetokounmpo told ESPN.
Here’s more on the Bucks:
- The Raptors threw just about every defensive strategy they could think of at Antetokounmpo on Friday, but none worked in slowing him down, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The Greek star finished with 31 points (on 11-of-14 shooting), 20 rebounds, and seven assists, and was a game-high plus-18 in 38 minutes during the six-point win. Antetokounmpo also became the first player in NBA history to record at least 60 points, 30 rebounds and 10 assists in the first two games of the season, Nehm adds. “I mean, like, he’s the best player in the world in my opinion,” said guard Cole Anthony, who contributed 23 points and seven assists. “He’s a beast. And he’s out there and he just affects the game in so many different ways. … He’s a heck of a player, man. It’s really different getting to see him every day in practice and in games than seeing him a couple times a year. I’m like, ‘Yo, this dude’s a beast.’“
- Turner has gotten off to a relatively slow start through two games, averaging 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting just 30% from the floor. But the Bucks have been much better when he’s on the court, he’s contributing in multiple areas (3.5 assists and 2.5 blocks), and he threw down an impressive poster slam (Twitter video link) in Wednesday’s season-opening win against Washington, Nehm writes for The Athletic. “When I played against him, I jumped many times at the pump fake because he’s capable of making that shot,” Antetokounmpo said of Turner. “So, he’s going to pick and choose. Sometimes, he’s going to shoot the three. Sometimes, he’s going to pump fake and get in the paint and make the right pass. And sometimes, he’s going to dunk on somebody’s head. And that’s what he did (Wednesday). Incredible play.”
- Veteran forward Kyle Kuzma exited Friday’s game in Toronto with a left ankle ankle sprain and did not return, the team announced (Twitter link via Nehm). It’s unclear if Kuzma will miss additional time as a result of the injury.
Pacers Notes: Injuries, Mathurin, Peter, Nembhard, Carlisle
The Pacers were playing without six injured guards — Tyrese Haliburton (torn Achilles), T.J. McConnell (left hamstring strain), Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction), Quenton Jackson (right hamstring strain), Johnny Furphy (left foot soreness) and Andrew Nembhard (left shoulder strain) — during Saturday’s contest in Memphis (Twitter link).
Two more — rookie Taelon Peter (sore right groin) and Bennedict Mathurin (sore right foot) — were forced to exit the blowout loss after sustaining their own injuries, according to the team (Twitter links).
It’s an extremely unfortunate and seemingly unprecedented situation, as the reigning Eastern Conference champions now only have two healthy guards — Ben Sheppard and two-way player RayJ Dennis — on the roster just two games into the season. And even Sheppard chipped a tooth on Saturday, per Tony East of Circle City Spin (Twitter video link).
The Pacers may soon qualify for a hardship exception (perhaps more than one), depending on the severity of some of the team’s injuries.
We have more on the Pacers:
- Head coach Rick Carlisle said after Saturday’s game that Mathurin’s injury is specifically in the “forefoot” and he may undergo imaging tomorrow, assuming the Pacers can find somewhere to do it in Minneapolis on Sunday (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). Mathurin, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, was walking gingerly in the locker room, though he wasn’t in a walking boot or using crutches, Dopirak adds (via Twitter).
- It’s unclear how long Nembhard will be out after exiting Indiana’s season-opener against Oklahoma City. Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Substack link) provides more context on when the injury occurred, stating that Nembhard appeared to get tangled up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the first half of Thursday’s game and immediately grabbed his left arm.
- Carlisle was incensed with the officials in the double-overtime thriller against the Thunder. As Dopirak writes (subscription required), two controversial plays involving timeouts went against Indiana during the nail-biting loss, one of which resulted in a technical foul on Carlisle. “I’m not talking about the refs,” Carlisle said after the game. “If I talk about the refs, I’m going to get fined an exorbitant amount of money.”
Injury Notes: Miller, Luka, LaVine, Hawks, Barlow
Guard/forward Brandon Miller, who missed most of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, was ruled out for the remainder of Saturday night’s game in Philadelphia due to left shoulder soreness, the Hornets announced (via Twitter).
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Miller checked out early in the second quarter and “appeared to be in a good amount of pain,” though it wasn’t immediately clear when the injury occurred — or how serious it might be.
Miller, 22, was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 draft and was coming off a solid first game in which he recorded 25 points and seven assists in 31 minutes against Brooklyn.
Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is questionable for Sunday’s matchup at Sacramento due to a left finger sprain, per the team’s injury report (Twitter link via Jovan Buha). According to Buha, Doncic sustained the injury early in Friday’s victory over Minnesota and had his finger wrapped for the rest of the evening. As we relayed this morning, Doncic broke a franchise record by scoring 92 combined points in the Lakers’ first two games. Jaxson Hayes (left knee soreness) is also questionable for Los Angeles, while Zach LaVine is questionable for the Kings due to an illness, tweets Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento.
- The Hawks played without their entire starting frontcourt in Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma City, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Center Kristaps Porzingis missed his second straight contest with flu-like symptoms, as did 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, who is battling a right ankle sprain. Forward Jalen Johnson missed his first game with his own right ankle sprain.
- Forward Dominick Barlow, who has started the Sixers‘ first two games despite being on a two-way contract, was ruled out for the second half of Saturday’s eventual win over Charlotte after suffering a right elbow laceration, tweets Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Another two-way forward, Jabari Walker, got the starting nod in the second half, as Tony Jones of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).
And-Ones: Payne, Key, Raman, Breakout Players
EuroLeague team Partizan Belgrade has expressed “serious” interest in free agent point guard Cameron Payne, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (via Twitter).
As Stein notes, the Serbian club is looking for a backcourt replacement in the wake of a serious ankle injury to former NBA guard Carlik Jones, who will reportedly miss three months of action.
Payne has spent most of the past 10 seasons in the NBA after being selected 14th overall in 2015. He appeared in 72 regular season games with the Knicks in 2024/25, averaging 6.9 PPG and 2.8 APG in 15.1 MPG.
The 31-year-old went unsigned for nearly the entire offseason prior to catching on with Indiana on October 9. However, Payne didn’t play well during the preseason, and the Pacers decided to waive him before ’25/26 began even though they had (and still have) several backcourt injuries.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Four-year NBA veteran Braxton Key, who spent all of training camp and the preseason with Memphis before being cut last week, has officially signed a rest-of-season deal with Valencia Basket, the Spanish team announced in a press release (hat tip to Eurohoops). The 28-year-old forward was named G League Defensive Player of the Year last season and finished out ’24/25 on a standard contract with Golden State.
- Sonia Raman, who was an assistant coach with the Grizzlies from 2020-24 prior to spending last season as an assistant with the WNBA’s New York Liberty, has agreed to a multiyear contract to become the Seattle Storm’s new head coach, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The Storm also compete in the WNBA.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic lists 12 players he believes are primed for breakout seasons, including younger stars like Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Lakers guard Luka Doncic, as well as more under-the-radar players such as Raptors big man Sandro Mamukelashvili and Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. A pair of young Wizards wings — Cam Whitmore and Kyshawn George — are also breakout candidates, according to Hollinger.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Fox, Grizzlies, Gafford, B. Williams
Losses to Oklahoma City and Detroit aren’t a cause for panic, but the Rockets have problems to work out following an unexpected 0-2 start, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Kevin Durant exploded for 37 points on Friday, but the rest of the offense seemed disconnected. The lack of an experienced point guard means the team is often slow to get into its initial actions and try to exploit mismatches, Lerner observes, which results in forced shots late in the clock.
Another issue is that the double-big lineup coach Ime Udoka has started in the first two games has been effective on defense, but the Rockets’ offense is more efficient with just one center on the floor.
“That’s why coaches get paid the big bucks; they got to make those tough decisions,” Durant said. “It’s always good having a versatile team, but knowing once you throw these different lineups out there, it’s the toughest job as a coach. So we’ll be patient and keep growing and keep figuring things out. But defensively, we’re pretty solid.”
Houston is also trying to come up with a point guard solution after losing Fred VanVleet for the season to a torn ACL. The team is counting on Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard to take his place, but Thompson is new to the position and Sheppard is adjusting to regular playing time after being used sparingly last season.
“The adjustment is really just being able to put people in the right spot, communicate with my teammates, and be kind of like a second coach out there to Ime, but I’m learning,” Thompson said. “I’m trying to figure it out, and I know it’s just gonna be better.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox took part in a 5-on-5 scrimmage after Friday’s shootaround and there’s optimism that he might make his season debut by the end of October, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). Fox has been dealing with a hamstring injury since training camp began, but said he feels “close” to returning. Jeremy Sochan and Kelly Olynyk also participated in the scrimmage and are expected back soon. “I see them do some things on the court, and I think they definitely can play,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s October, so we’re probably going to be a little later than early. But they look great. I hope it will be sooner rather than later.”
- A size mismatch contributed to the Grizzlies‘ 32-point loss to Miami on Friday, notes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required). With Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke both recovering from surgery, Memphis didn’t have enough big men to contend with Kel’el Ware and Bam Adebayo.
- The Mavericks had hoped Daniel Gafford could return from his right ankle sprain on Friday, but now he’s been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday’s game, relays Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Brandon Williams will miss the game for personal reasons, Curtis adds (Twitter link).