ESPN STRAW POLL REVEALS LUKA DONčIć RECEIVED ZERO FIRST-PLACE MVP VOTES
Luka Dončić suffers a "brutal" hamstring injury as the Lakers lose big to OKC and vanish from the MVP top spot.
The last 24 hours have been a rollercoaster for the Los Angeles Lakers.
They started with a complete collapse against the defending champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Things only took a turn for the worse when Luka Doncic, their star point guard, started limping in the third quarter during a matchup with Jalen Williams.
He immediately showed signs of pain, moving slowly toward the baseline before lying down and covering his face with his hands.
The Lakers were already hanging by a thread, and losing Doncic in that moment seemed to drain the life out of the whole team.
The game ended with a brutal 43-point loss, but all anyone wanted to know afterwards was how bad Doncic’s injury was and how long he'd be sidelined.
Before this game, Doncic was riding one of the most remarkable scoring runs in NBA history. He racked up 600 points in March, the third-highest total ever for a single month.
Those scoring outbursts had pushed him up the MVP leaderboard significantly.
Now, however, it looks like Doncic’s case for this year’s Michael Jordan Trophy might not be as strong as it appeared.
Heading into Thursday’s matchup in Oklahoma City, many had pegged Doncic as the clear MVP favourite after he led his team to an impressive 15-2 record last month. The Lakers were arguably the hottest team around, with only the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs close behind.
Doncic was the most explosive scorer by a wide margin, including a 60-point game, the highest since he joined L.A. in that major trade over a year ago.
With the regular season winding down, MVP voting is about to conclude, and that always keeps fans on edge.
This morning, ESPN shared its final straw poll of the season. The people behind this poll hold real voting power, so these results are a strong indication of how the actual voting might go.
Brace yourselves, Lakers fans, here’s the tough part.
Doncic, who had been gaining serious momentum for MVP in recent weeks, ended up with zero first-place votes.
That’s right, none.
If you need to read that again, go ahead.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got the most first-place votes, followed by Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic, both of whom earned more first-place votes than Doncic.
That said, Doncic did receive six second-place votes, 24 third-place votes, and 59 fourth-place votes. So, while not a favourite at the top, he wasn’t completely overlooked either.
Now, beyond the MVP race, the Lakers face more significant challenges as the playoffs approach.
This could not come at a worse time for Doncic to get hurt. His chances at postseason awards are also at risk.
At 27, Doncic needs to log at least 20 more minutes in another game to remain eligible for those honors but even that might be a stretch.
If the injury is a hamstring strain, even the mildest kind could keep him out for one to two weeks, knocking him out of eligibility. Should it be worse, a Grade 2 or 3 strain, the Lakers could lose him for part or all of the first-round playoff series. That’s a devastating possibility.
The hope is that it’s just a minor tweak, though his body language after going down suggested it might be more serious.
Luckily, the Lakers have five games left before the playoffs begin, with a roughly one-week break during the play-in tournament. That break could be crucial for getting Doncic back to full health before the first round begins.
LAKERS ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
