Lakers Fall to Thunder Despite Luka Doncic's Absence

Oklahoma City wins without star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the lineup

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, despite the absence of Luka Doncic for the Lakers. The Thunder were also missing their star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but were still able to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This game highlights the depth and competitiveness of the NBA, where teams can win without their top players. It also raises questions about the tight race for the league's MVP award between Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander.

The details

The Lakers were missing Doncic, their leading scorer, but were unable to capitalize on the Thunder's own absence of Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder were led by a balanced scoring effort and strong defense to secure the win.

  • The game took place on Monday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers' star player and leading scorer, who was absent from the game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Oklahoma City Thunder's star player, who was also absent from the game.

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What they’re saying

“Regardless of who's in the lineup, for us, we've got to do a better job of limiting our unforced turnovers.”

— JJ Redick, Lakers player (LA Daily News)

The takeaway

This game showcases the depth and competitiveness of the NBA, where teams can win without their top players, and highlights the tight race for the league's MVP award between Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander.