Doncic did not sustain an injury and was only scheduled to play in the first half of Slovenia's exhibition game against Greece on Friday, NBA writer Marc Stein reports.
Doncic banged knees with an opponent, who was trying to set a screen in the first half of Friday's contest, and the superstar didn't play in the second half, starting speculation that he suffered an injury. However, it appears Doncic wasn't going to play in the second half regardless, so he should be fine to suit up for Slovenia when the FIBA World Cup kicks off at the end of August.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Leaves exhibition with injury
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Doncic suffered a lower body injury during the first half of Slovenia's exhibition versus Greece on Friday and didn't play in the second half, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.
It appeared like Doncic simply banged knees with an opposing player who was trying to set a screen, but the severity of the issue remains unclear. We'll continue to monitor the situation, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the perennial NBA MVP candidate proceed with caution.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Not playing against Spurs
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Doncic won't play in the season finale Sunday against the Spurs due to injury recovery of his left thigh.
Doncic is one of several Mavericks players that won't play in the season finale with the team out of playoff contention. He played the first quarter and a few seconds of the second period during Friday's loss to the Bulls before sitting out the rest of the contest, and he ends the campaign with MVP-like numbers, though he likely won't be in contention for the award. He ends the 2022-23 campaign with averages of 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists per contest.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Productive over just 13 minutes
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Doncic logged 13 points (4-11 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 5-7 FT), five rebounds and three assists in 13 minutes during Friday's 115-112 loss to the Bulls.
As expected, Doncic played just under 13 minutes Friday, all of which came in the first half as Dallas jumped out to an early lead. Over that brief stretch, he was still able to contribute 13 points, which tied Markieff Morris and McKinley Wright for the team high, to go along with five assists and three rebounds. The star point guard did, however, go 0-of-5 from three and is now shooting a putrid 23.5 percent from beyond the arc in April.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Won't play beyond first quarter
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Doncic will be available for only the first quarter of Friday's game against the Bulls, Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports.
With the Mavs shifting into draft-pick preservation mode, it was fairly surprising that Doncic was initially deemed available for Friday's game in the first place, as Dallas will hold out several regulars, including Kyrie Irving (foot), Tim Hardaway (ankle) and Christian Wood (rest). While the expectation remains that Doncic will start and play close to a usual workload early on, MacMachon reports that the Mavs plan to pull Doncic from the game after the first quarter -- ostensibly in an effort to both ease the strain on their superstar while also lessening their chances of winning and, in turn, potentially jeopardizing their top-10 protected pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. With Doncic unavailable for more than 12 minutes, expect Jaden Hardy, McKinley Wright and Frank Ntilikina to be among the beneficiaries.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Will be available Friday
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Doncic (thigh) will be available for Friday's game against the Bulls.
As expected, Doncic has been upgraded from probable to available, and with Kyrie Irving (foot) out, the Slovenian superstar should see all the usage he can handle as he tries to will the Mavericks into the final Play-In spot. Over his past seven appearances, Doncic has averaged 24.3 points, 5.9 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocks in 38.9 minutes per game.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Probable Friday
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Doncic is probable for Friday's game against Chicago due to left thigh injury management.
Doncic's thigh injury hasn't appeared to be a significant concern, and he'll likely suit up once again Friday as the Mavericks continue to battle for a spot in the Play-In Tournament. He's posted double-doubles in six of his last eight appearances, averaging 30.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists in 38.9 minutes per game.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Scores 29, keeps playoff hope alive
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Doncic scored 29 points (9-19 FG, 3-11 3Pt, 8-10 FT) to go with 10 rebounds, six assists and one steal across 39 minutes in Wednesday's 123-119 win over the Kings.
Though Doncic was held scoreless in the final period, he did the heavy lifting through the first three quarters before Kyrie Irving and Christian Wood picked up the slack late, combining to score all 31 of Dallas' points in the game's final 12 minutes. Doncic's final line didn't deviate dramatically from his season-long averages and percentages, but the fact that the Mavericks secured their second win in nine games is noteworthy with regard to his availability moving forward. The point guard noted prior to Wednesday's contest that he doesn't plan to sit out any games so long as Dallas has a shot at securing the final spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, and the win over the Kings now leaves the Mavericks tied with the Thunder with a 38-42 record. The Thunder hold a tiebreaker and could claim a half-game lead in the standings with a win over the Jazz on Thursday, but since the Mavericks still wouldn't be eliminated from playoff contention in that scenario, expect Doncic to play his usual allotment of minutes Friday versus the Bulls.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Will play Wednesday
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Doncic (thigh) is available for Wednesday's game versus the Kings.
This was the expected outcome for Doncic, who was listed as probable on the team's initial injury report. The Mavericks are clinging to playoff hopes and still have a shot at claiming the 10th spot in the west, but a tough opponent in the Kings remains on tap. Doncic should log his usual workload as Dallas takes aim at an upset.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Officially probable
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Doncic (thigh) is listed as probable for Wednesday's game against the Kings.
Doncic said earlier Tuesday that he plans to play Wednesday; his probable designation confirms that notion. Since missing five consecutive contests, the All-Star point guard has appeared in seven straight, posting 31.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.9 assists during that stretch. With Dallas sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference, there have been rumors of Doncic and Irving being shut down for the remainder of the regular season, but until Dallas makes an official decision, it's safe to assume the two superstars will suit up regularly.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Says he'll play Wednesday
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Doncic (thigh) said he'll play Wednesday against the Kings, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports.
The Mavericks haven't released their official injury report for Wednesday's game yet, but it appears Doncic will suit up for an eighth straight contest. Since returning from a five-game absence due to a thigh injury, he's averaged 31.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game, but Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Monday that Dallas is "seriously considering" shutting down the All-Star point guard for the final few matchups of the regular season. However, until Dallas officially makes that decision, it's safe to expect Doncic to continue suiting up and flirting with triple-doubles.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Could be shut down
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The Mavericks are "seriously considering" shutting down Doncic for the final few games of the season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Doncic has been on a tear since returning from a five-game absence, as he's averaged 31.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.9 assists in 38.9 minutes per game over his last seven appearances. However, the Mavericks are a game out of the Play-In Tournament heading into the final week of the season, so the team will see how the Thunder and Jazz fare before Dallas plays its first game of the week Wednesday. If the Mavericks are in danger of missing the postseason by then, the team could choose to shut down Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Stellar effort despite loss
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Doncic had 42 points (17-25 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 6-7 FT), 10 rebounds, eight assists and two steals over 45 minutes during Saturday's 129-122 loss to the Heat.
Doncic tried his best to carry the Mavericks to a much-needed victory Saturday yet ultimately fell just short of the mark. Now sitting outside the playoff picture, the midseason trade that netted Kyrie Irving hasn't yet paid dividends. While the Mavericks remain in contention for a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, they don't look like a team that can challenge for the title. With only four games remaining in the regular season, Dallas will need a few things to go its way, starting with a victory over the Hawks on Sunday. Until Dallas is officially eliminated from the postseason, expect Doncic to play in every game and handle heavy minutes.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Teases triple-double in loss
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Doncic produced 24 points (9-20 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds, eight assists and one block in 37 minutes during Wednesday's 116-108 loss to the 76ers.
The 24-year-old superstar continues doing all he can to drag the Mavericks into the postseason. Over the last five games since returning from a thigh strain, Doncic has four double-doubles and is averaging 30.6 points, 9.4 assists, 9.2 boards and 3.8 threes. Despite those numbers, Dallas is only 1-4 over that stretch and is one game back of OKC for the final spot in the play-in tournament, with only five games remaining on the schedule.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Puts up 25 points in 28 minutes
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Doncic registered 25 points (8-17 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 5-5 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and one steal across 28 minutes during Monday's 127-104 victory over the Pacers.
After the NBA rescinded the 16th technical foul of the season that Doncic picked up in Sunday's loss to the Hornets, the star point guard was cleared to play Monday rather than serving an automatic one-game suspension. Thanks to the blowout, head coach Jason Kidd was able to manage Doncic's minutes on the second leg of the back-to-back set, though Doncic still came through with a serviceable line despite handling less playing time than usual. Doncic's next technical foul will still trigger a one-game suspension, so he'll have to tread lightly with the officials over the next two weeks to avoid any missed time during a critical juncture of the season for the Mavericks, who currently sit a half game behind the Lakers and Thunder for the final two spots in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Won't face suspension Monday
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Doncic won't be suspended for Monday's game against the Pacers after the league rescinded his 16th technical foul.
Doncic was issued a technical foul during Sunday's loss to the Hornets, but he'll be available for the second half of the back-to-back set after the league reversed the call. However, the Mavericks still have seven regular-season games remaining, and it's possible he'll be unavailable for one of those matchups if he's called for a technical foul in any of those games. Doncic has been on a tear since returning from a five-game absence, averaging 34.7 points, 11.0 assists and 9.7 rebounds in 39.3 minutes per game over his last three appearances.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Facing one-game suspension
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Doncic finished Sunday's loss to the Hornets with 40 points (12-29 FG, 7-16 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 12 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, two blocks and four turnovers in 40 minutes. He was also whistled for his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension.
While Doncic had a fantastic statistical game, the Mavericks fell to the Hornets for the second time in three days and are now on the outside looking in for a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Unless the NBA rescinds Doncic's 16th technical -- a rather unlikely scenario -- he'll be suspended for Monday's game at Indiana. Assuming that's the case, Doncic will still be eligible to play in three games next week, beginning with Wednesday's matchup with the 76ers in Philadelphia. After that, Dallas plays at Miami and at Atlanta in a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back set.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Sniffs triple-double in loss
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Doncic ended Friday's 117-109 loss to the Hornets with 34 points (12-23 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 8-10 FT), 10 rebounds, eight assists and one block over 37 minutes.
Doncic led the Mavericks once again, but he can't do everything on his own, and Dallas suffered another surprising loss despite the star guard finishing just two assists away from a triple-double. Despite the team's struggles, Doncic has been sensational in recent weeks. He's averaging 30.7 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds across six March outings.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Comes up short in return
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Doncic (thigh) closed with 30 points (11-27 FG, 2-10 3Pt, 6-10 FT), 17 assists, seven rebounds and one steal in 41 minutes during Wednesday's 127-125 loss to the Warriors.
Doncic missed his team's last five matchups while dealing with a left thigh strain, but it was clear he wasn't on any type of restriction Wednesday. He poured in a game-high scoring total -- albeit on poor shooting from the field and free-throw line -- and dominated as a facilitator while backcourt mate Kyrie Irving (foot) was sidelined, setting a new season high in assists. With a big workload already under his plate in his first game back, Doncic looks poised for a big finish to the season, as the 36-37 Mavericks can't afford to rest key players while they look to secure a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Ready to roll Wednesday
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Doncic (thigh) is officially available for Wednesday's game versus the Warriors.
Doncic was upgraded from questionable to probable on game day, foreshadowing his return to the lineup following a five-game absence. Doncic will presumably retake his starting spot on the ball upon his return, replacing Kyrie Irving (foot), who will miss the contest. Per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, head coach Jason Kidd suggested 40 minutes is the cap for Doncic, so there seems to be minimal restrictions for the superstar Wednesday.
