Mavericks give concerning injury update on Luka Doncic ahead of Game 3
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday 119-110, as the team gave the Thunder their first postseason loss. P.J. Washington scored a postseason-high 29 points, as he also contributed with 11 rebounds and two steals.
Kyrie Irving also contributed with two steals, and led the team with 11 assists. Irving, along with Hardaway Jr. played a role in helping the team jump out to an 11-point lead in the third quarter, as Luka Doncic sat on the bench.
Doncic, however, was the main attraction Thursday. He tied Washington with 29 points, as he had a near triple-double with 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was Doncic’s hot start that helped the Mavs take an early lead. He knocked down four 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 18 points in the first half.
Mavericks list Luka Doncic as questionable for Game 3
His performance was overshadowed by an ankle injury he suffered in this game. The injury puts him on the injury report as questionable, as he is also battling a knee sprain.
The Mavs guard has been battling a sprained knee since Game 3 against the LA Clippers. This is something that has been bothering him as he continues to show pain and grimace while on the court. He played a pivotal role in helping Dallas take down the Clippers, even though he wasn’t 100 percent.
Before the start of the series against the Thunder, Doncic put his knee injury into perspective. He mentioned how his knee probably wouldn’t fully recover until the summer.
Doncic’s ankle soreness will be another bump in the road. The Mavs star is not fully himself, as he continues to deal with numerous injuries.
During the season, Luka shot 48.7 percent from the field and knocked down 38.2 percent of his attempts from the 3-point line. His numbers have changed though, since the start of the postseason. Doncic is currently shooting 40.9 percent overall, and 26.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Game 2 told a different story though. Doncic shot 52.4 percent and went 5-8 from long range. The Mavs’ star must continue replicating his shooting success from Thursday to give the team a fighting chance.
Luka’s success though is contingent on him being able to play. The team cannot afford Doncic to miss any games, as they went 4-8 during the season without him.
Either way, look for the Mavericks to take a 2-1 series lead on Saturday. Players like Tim Hardaway Jr. and P.J. Washington must continue to step in to give the Mavs a fighting chance. Doncic may be listed as questionable, but he will do whatever he can to play on Saturday.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on Saturday’s matchup, as Dallas looks to take control in the series.
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