After Game 4 Disappointment, Luka Doncic’s Knee Troubles Set to Concern Mavericks Fans

After a shocking loss in Game 4, the Dallas Mavericks are set to face the Clippers tonight at the Crypto.com Arena. The Mavs’ hopes of getting a lead in the series, against a Claw-less Clippers, were crushed by the masterclass of Paul George. Even the great performances from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were not enough to counter the Beard-PG duo. In this tight situation with the series tied at 2-2, Doncic’s knee issues have inflated their concerns.

According to the official injury report, the Mavs star is recovering from a right knee sprain and is listed as ‘Probable’ for the next game. So, unless the luck runs out on the Dallas franchise, he might be able to lace up for them. Before Game 4, the guard was listed as ‘Questionable’ and still managed to step onto the court. However, things didn’t go exactly how he would’ve wished for. The sprain seemed to have affected his efficiency and utility on the court.

Luka Doncic ‘looked good’ in practice as Mavericks star battles sprained knee https://t.co/Ki4SEmB0FE

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 30, 2024

Even though he had a 29-point triple-double, he couldn’t help secure the lead for his team after a 23-point deficit in the first quarter. As for the other members, Irving did a lot of the heavy lifting with 40 points, seven rebounds, and five assists while only two others managed to touch double digits in scoring. The Clippers, on the other hand, proved to be a much better team with Paul George and James Harden putting up 33 points each, and three others in double digits in scoring.

Even though they did manage to outscore the Clippers in the two subsequent quarters, the initial lead was too much to close in. After taking the L, Doncic said that he was to be blamed for the loss, even though he had a 29-point triple-double, due to one reason.

Luka Doncic took responsibility for the Game 4 loss

After being down 31 points in the game, the Mavs managed to close the gap but still fell short of the target. Even though the duo of Luka and Uncle Drew put up one of the best performances in the postseason, the Slovenian believes that he let his teammate down. According to Grant Afseth, Luka said, “I got to help him more. He’s giving everything he has and he’s been amazing for us the whole series.”

Luka Doncic said he feels he’s letting Kyrie Irving down with his level of play: “I just got to help him more. I feel like I’m letting him down, so I got to be there, I got to help him more. He’s giving everything he has and he’s been amazing for us the whole series.”

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) April 29, 2024

Additionally, the Mavs HC Jason Kidd also heaped praise on Kai after his 40-point effort. He said, “If he didn’t get going, that game would have been over in the first. For him to be able to get going in the second got us back.” Now with the persisting knee issue for Doncic, the 32-year-old might have to carry the team on his back yet again. Otherwise, the in-form Clippers might take a lead in the series on their home court.