Luka Doncic spoke with reporters following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. The defeat completed a second-round sweep and ended a season marked by injuries and a late push for playoff contention.
Doncic, who sat out the final part of the postseason due to a hamstring strain, did not hide his frustration at being unable to help his teammates extend their playoff run.
“Yeah, it’s very frustrating. I know some people wanted me back. But obviously I wasn’t close to clearing,” he said. “There was some stuff in the media that went out that wasn’t true. Nobody of those people saw my MRIs, know nothing. So, it wasn’t really true. If I could be out there, I would be 100%. Everybody in that room knows that.”
He confirmed that his recovery is still not complete, and he has not yet received clearance for contact drills as the offseason begins.
“Still not. I’m doing the lifting, I’m doing running and shooting, but I haven’t done contact and those stuff. I wasn’t clear yet. So, those stuff will come in the next week or two, probably.”
When asked about his immediate plans, Doncic made clear that speculation about basketball is not a priority — his focus is on recovery and family.
“First of all want to spend time with my daughters and that’s probably the only thing that is on my mind right now. And second, obviously get the work in and come back ready for the season.”
Despite the disappointing finish, he reflected positively on his time with the Lakers organization and the chemistry built over the season.
“I feel very comfortable. I like living here. I like playing for the Lakers. It’s one of the best organizations in the world. So just being a Laker, it means a lot to me and like I said I feel very good here. So there’s nothing else to add to that.”
He also highlighted the team’s strong late-season run, including an impressive March stretch that shaped their identity.
“I think it was pretty amazing. I think the feel in the locker room was very good. I think every time we step on the court, everybody was fighting and most importantly everybody was having fun. So I think that run we made was pretty special.”
On roster construction and the upcoming offseason, Doncic kept his comments measured as the Lakers prepare for possible changes.
“I think we had a great team. We had great chemistry and obviously playing with AR and Bron was unbelievable experience. They’re two great players and it was really fun to share court with.”
When asked about recruiting teammates or influencing roster decisions, he offered no commitment.
“We’ll see. Can’t tell you nothing.”
He also acknowledged the emotional weight of a season that featured multiple injuries and shifting availability across the roster.
“I feel like the last push we made in the end of regular season, we thought that we can compete for championship,” he said. “I think we had a great team. We had great chemistry.”
The Lakers finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and were eliminated after a hard-fought series against the top seed in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City advanced to the conference finals thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 35-point performance in Game 4.
