Luka Doncic Sits Out Against Bucks Due To Ankle Injury

LOS ANGELES -- Lakers star Luka Doncic will not play Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks as he continues to manage a sprained right ankle, sources told ESPN.

The Bucks game is the second night of a back-to-back for L.A., after the Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 120-108 on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Doncic played on the ankle, pouring in 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in 32 minutes against the Denver Nuggets. Thursday also marks the end of a taxing stretch of schedule during which L.A. played six games in eight days -- the only team in the NBA this season to have such a rigorous calendar due to a makeup game against the San Antonio Spurs, which was postponed from January because of the L.A. wildfires.

The Lakers have gone 3-2 through the first five games of this grueling stretch. Doncic had previously sat out one game during this period -- a 131-126 loss to the Denver Nuggets last week -- due to a right ankle sprain and management of his left calf injury.

As of Thursday, March 20, 2025, the Lakers hold the No. 3 position in the Western Conference with only 14 games remaining in the regular season. However, they will face the Bucks without both Doncic and LeBron James, who is sidelined with a left groin strain, as well as Rui Hachimura, who is out with left knee tendinopathy.

When asked about the Lakers' goals leading into the playoffs, aside from securing playoff seeding, Jarred Vanderbilt emphasized the importance of health. "Getting healthy, that would be No. 1. Getting rest with this stretch. And try to get some reps together. The main thing is getting healthy so we can try to keep building our chemistry," Vanderbilt said.

As the team transitions into the final stretch of the regular season, the focus remains on maintaining player health and improving teamwork, particularly with the playoffs on the horizon. The absence of key players like Doncic and James inevitably raises concerns for fans and analysts alike about the Lakers’ preparedness for postseason play.

As they face the Bucks tonight, the Lakers will need to rely on their depth and the contributions from remaining players to hold the fort while their stars recover. With the playoffs fast approaching, every game counts, and the Lakers are determined to ensure that they are well-prepared when it matters most.

Fans will undoubtedly watch closely as the season unfolds, anticipating how injuries will impact the team's dynamics and their ultimate playoff seeding.