Luka Doncic Fully Available for Lakers' Road Game Against Chicago Bulls
Luka Doncic is expected to play and start at point guard when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Monday night, January 26, 2026. The star guard is not listed on the Lakers' official injury report, confirming his availability without any minutes restrictions or health concerns.
Doncic's Injury Status and Recent Performance
Doncic carries no injury designation entering the game against the Bulls. He is not listed as questionable, doubtful, or out, with league injury trackers showing him as fully available. This status aligns with his recent on-court performance, where he has continued to handle a heavy workload and serve as the primary engine of the Lakers' offense.
Over the past few games, Doncic has been instrumental in key victories. He played major minutes in a comeback win against the Dallas Mavericks and followed that performance with a late game-winner against the Boston Celtics. These contributions demonstrate the team's continued reliance on his playmaking and scoring abilities.
What Doncic Brings to the Matchup Against Chicago
This season, Luka Doncic has been averaging approximately 30 points per game while ranking near the top of the team in assists. Triple-doubles have become common occurrences in his performances, and his scoring projections for Monday night sit in the low-to-mid 30s.
Chicago's backcourt, led by Coby White and Josh Giddey, will face the challenging task of containing Doncic. Their responsibilities include keeping him out of the paint and limiting clean looks from beyond the arc. This defensive assignment becomes particularly difficult because Doncic possesses the ability to control the game's pace, force defensive switches, and create shots late in the shot clock. Most projections expect him to finish near or above his season averages against the Bulls.
Lakers' Injury Situation and Team Dynamics
Even with Doncic healthy, the Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with several other injury concerns that leave them short-handed. The team's current injury situation includes:
- Austin Reaves remains out with a calf injury
- Adou Thiero is sidelined due to a knee issue
- Jake LaRavia is listed as questionable because of a quad problem and illness
This injury landscape places additional responsibility on Doncic and LeBron James to handle scoring and playmaking duties. LeBron James is also not on the injury report and is expected to play, giving the Lakers their top two offensive options against a Bulls team currently riding a four-game winning streak.
Significance of the Game for Doncic and the Lakers
Since arriving with the Los Angeles Lakers, Doncic has quickly established himself as the team's primary ball-handler and leading scorer. Road games against competitive opponents like the Chicago Bulls represent the type of matchups that help shape how his role is viewed long-term within the organization.
A strong performance in Chicago would further demonstrate that the Doncic-LeBron James pairing can effectively carry the Lakers even when the rotation is thin due to injuries. For this particular matchup, there are no injury questions surrounding Doncic. He is expected to play, start, and run the offense as the Lakers face a challenging opponent on their home court.
The game represents an important test for the Lakers as they navigate their injury situation while facing a Bulls team that has been performing well at home. Doncic's availability provides crucial stability to the lineup as they attempt to secure a victory on the road.
