With Luka Doncic out for Game 1, the Mavericks are playing the ‘long game’ with their injury timeline
Due to a calf strain suffered during the regular season, Luka Doncic, the standout guard for the Dallas Mavericks, is slated to miss the first game.
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. Luka Doncic is expected to sit out Game 1 of Saturday’s first-round matchup against the Utah Jazz. In the last game of the regular season, the all-star point guard got a calf strain, and it’s not clear how long he will be out.
Doncic sustained the injury in the final game of the regular season against the San Antonio Spurs after he landed incorrectly after trying a pass.
The following is the sequence of events that led to the injury:
Update on Luka Doncic’s injuries
According to CBS, the injury jeopardizes the Mavericks’ ability to maintain their advantage in this series after they won home-court advantage for the first time since 2011.
The health of Doncic will be a story to follow on a daily basis, since the guard is a major component of the Mavericks’ playoff success.
In order to fill the star guard’s shoes, the Mavericks will have to rely on Spencer Dinwiddie or Jalen Brunson. Despite the fact that both players are capable of producing for the Mavericks, the squad will be without Doncic’s offensive playmaking.
After being moved from the Washington Wizards this season, Dinwiddie has been one of the team’s most improved and important players. Dinwiddie averaged 13.7 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 40% from beyond the arc.
Brunson has also performed admirably for the Mavericks this season, averaging 16.3 points and 4.8 assists, both career highs. With Doncic out, combining Brunson with Dinwiddie might be the greatest option for the Mavericks. Brunson can shoot over 50% from the field.
The Mavericks are pessimistic about Doncic’s comeback and must brace for the worst if he is forced to sit out the rest of the postseason. The exact day on which Doncic will return is unknown, but it will be constantly monitored.
