Is Luka Doncic playing today vs Clippers? Mavericks release injury report ahead of Game 4

Is ‘Luka Doncic playing today’ has been a burning question for all Mavericks fans, as they look to took a level the series at 2-2 against Kawhi Leonard and his Clippers.

Luka Doncic hurt his ankle in a collision with reigning finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in Game 3 vs Clippers. The sophomore guard returned in the fourth quarter but hobbled out again and remained on the sidelines for the rest of the game.

Doncic has played a pivotal role in transforming the Mavericks from a floundering squad to one of the dark-horses in the western conference. The all-star guard has been bossing the Clippers as the likes of Kawhi and co. have been unable to shut him down.

If the Mavericks want to take this series deep and even maybe pull off an upset, Luka Doncic will need to step onto the court today and lead his side from the onset.

Will Luka Doncic play today?

According to a recent report released by the Mavs, Luka Doncic will play vs the Clippers in Game 4 of the series today.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic (ankle sprain) will play in Game 4 against the Clippers.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 23, 2020

What has hurt the Mavs even more is that the turnaround time for this game has been lesser than normal, as the Mavericks vs Clippers game takes place at 3:30pm ET today, instead of a 9pm ET tip off.

The Mavericks were relieved when MRI tests on Luka’s left ankle turned out to be negative. Doncic tried to play through the pain in game 3 in the fourth quarter but was eventually sidelined for the game. The all-star guard facilitates the offense for the Mavericks and his absence is bound to create multiple problems for the side as they look to hunt down the Clippers.

Oh no Luka limps off the court after injuring ankle pic.twitter.com/0tN50O0Kem

— gifdsports (@gifdsports) August 22, 2020

The Mavericks have a win-loss record of 7-6 when playing without Doncic this season. But in a crucial game against a star-studded Clippers lineup, Luka’s presence would be a game changer for the Mavericks.

Luka has been in form right throughout the series. The guard hasn’t been fazed by the pressure in his first ever playoff trip. He put up 42 points along with 9 assists and boards in game 1 where the Mavericks lost after Porzingis was bizzarely ejected in the third quarter.

Luka carried his form into the second game as he had stats of 28-8-7 as the Mavericks squared up the series. His injury in the 3rd game was a massive factor in the Mavs losing, as apart from Kawhi, no one really was able to contribute offensively for the Clippers.