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Luka Dončić blames himself for Lakers championship implosion

There are certain moments that haunt us. That gnaw at us. That creep into our minds in quiet moments and play with our emotions like a fiddle. Luka Dončić knows his. It happened on April 2 in a game against…

By Melissa Rohlin · NY Post

Published: Thursday, 8 October 2026 at 8:56 PM

Key Things to Know

Luka Dončić expressed regret over aggravating his hamstring injury, believing it cost the Lakers a championship opportunity.
Dončić suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain against the Thunder on April 2 after playing through initial discomfort.
The injury forced Dončić to miss the final five regular season games and the entirety of the postseason.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Luka Dončić publicly expressed regret over playing through a hamstring injury last season against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Dončić stated that he was stubborn and should have checked out of the game, expressing belief that the Los Angeles Lakers possessed a championship-caliber roster before his postseason-ending Grade 2 hamstring strain.

Following the injury, Dončić missed the remainder of the season and playoffs, where the Lakers were eventually swept by the Thunder in the second round. The roster has since dismantled, with LeBron James departing for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

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Luka Dončić blames himself for Lakers championship implosion

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