The Dallas Mavericks will be hosting the Memphis Grizzlies in their upcoming matchup. The Grizzlies are once again going to be short-handed as Ja Morant will be undergoing a season-ending surgery. But will the Mavericks be at full strength, as the team release their injury reports with Luka Doncic’s name at the top?
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The Dallas Mavericks are on a three-game winning streak, looking to make it four. With the Memphis Grizzlies playing without their All-Star point guard, the matchup would seem to be in the favor of the Mavs. But it won’t be an easy task without Doncic.
As per the NBA’s official injury report, Luka has been listed as questionable for the Memphis Grizzlies matchup. Doncic’s injury description states the Slovenian star has a swollen right ankle.
Dallas Mavericks Injury Report vs. Memphis Grizzlies:
Luka Doncic – probable (right ankle swelling)
Grant Williams – probable (right ankle sprain)
Dante Exum – out (right plantar sprain)
Dereck Lively II – out (left ankle sprain)
Maxi Kleber – out (right small toe dislocation)— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) January 8, 2024
Doncic was sidelined due to the same ankle soreness in the Dallas Mavericks’ second game of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, Doncic did suit up for the Mavs in their last game, dropping 34 points in the win over the Timberwolves.
Luka has been the team’s cornerstone franchise player since he was drafted. And he has been the team’s rock this season as the Mavericks have been dealing with nagging injuries to their key rotational players.
Now, even without Doncic, the Mavericks won the Trail Blazers game by a 36-point margin. So, the team may be able to fend off the Grizzlies even with Luka not being in the team’s rotation for the game.
Will Luka Doncic join the Mavericks on the floor?
The Dallas Mavericks had Kyrie Irving out for a few weeks due to an injury. But now, with Irving back in the team’s lineup, the Mavs can be confident going into the Memphis Grizzlies matchup even without Luka Doncic.
The 6’7 point guard has been averaging 33.7 PPG, 9.2 APG, and 8.2 RPG so far this season. Having no Doncic in the lineup is surely to hamper the Mavericks on offense but that is where Kyrie Irving comes in.
Irving is a proficient scorer and an absolute wizard with the ball in his hands. The only problem is that apart from Doncic, three other Mavs players have been listed out for the Grizzlies matchup with Grant Williams too listed as probable as well.
It would be interesting to see how the Mavericks would run their offense without Doncic. And as for Doncic’s availability for the game, given how Dallas did not play him the last time he had ankle soreness, it may be a safe bet to assume that fans might not get to see Luka in action tonight.
However, the pre-game evaluation may change that outcome entirely. Regardless, tune in tonight to see if the Grizzlies can keep the momentum going without their leader on the floor.
