- - Is Luka Doncic playing tonight? Injury status for Lakers-Trail Blazers

James H. Williams, USA TODAYJanuary 17, 2026 at 7:02 AM

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Is Luka Doncic playing tonight? Injury status for Lakers-Trail Blazers

Luka Dončić will be unavailable for the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Jan. 17.

The Lakers star has left groin soreness and will be out for the road game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the team announced Friday night.

Dončić injured his groin while warming up before a game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday. He'd managed to play in the three games since the injury, with the team going 1-2 during that stretch.

He is one of three players who have been ruled out for Los Angeles, along with Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain).

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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1 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponentsOct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.Luka Dončić stats

Dončić has averaged 33.6 points, 8.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game in 32 games played this season. He ranks first in points and fourth in assists this season.

Who is Luka Dončić's backup?

Kobe Bufkin is listed as the primary backup behind Dončić at point guard, according to ESPN. Bufkin has averaged 1.5 points and two rebounds per game. Gabe Vincent would also be considered. He's averaged 5.1 points and 1.4 assists per game in just 19 games this season, averaging 20.1 minutes per game.

When do Lakers play next?

The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT). The game will be played at the Moda Center in Portland.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic injury update: Will Lakers star play vs Blazers tonight?

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