The Dallas Mavericks began their three-game road trip with a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves and now fly to San Francisco to go up against the Golden State Warriors. A repeat of the 2022 Western Conference Finals is bound to get basketball enthusiasts excited. However, fans of the Mavericks will wonder whether or not Luka Doncic will suit up after missing out on the previous clash.
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Luka Doncic put up a historic performance on the Christmas Day matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Playing for 44 minutes, the Slovenian superstar recorded 50 points, 15 assists, and 6 rebounds, leading the Dallas side to a 128-114 victory. As revealed by head coach Jason Kidd, the 6ft 7” guard “aggravated” his left quad.
“I think just with his left quad soreness, he aggravated it in the Christmas game,” Kidd said.
Luka Doncic has been added to the team’s latest injury report due to this same injury. However, fans do not have to give up hope just yet. Unlike Maxi Kleber and Greg Brown III, who will be out for the fixture against the Warriors, Luka Doncic is only listed as “questionable”.
Dallas Mavericks Injury Report vs Warriors(30/12):
Luka Doncic – Questionable (Left Quad Soreness)
Kyrie Irving – Doubtful(Right Heel Contusion)
Maxi Kleber – OUT
Greg Brown III – OUT— Raahib Singh (@raahibs) December 30, 2023
The absence of Doncic will be detrimental for the Mavs. With Luka missing out on the previous clash against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team was unable to emerge victorious. However, if the 24-year-old does take on the floor, the Mavericks will enter the Chase Center as the favourites.
The Dallas Mavericks are 0-3 in the absence of Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is one of the most impressive players in the league. His impact on the Mavericks cannot be stressed. Averaging 33.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game, the point guard has led the franchise to an impressive 18-14 record. Even with his All-Star counterpart Kyrie Irving being sidelined, Luka has carried a majority of the team’s offensive load, helping Jason Kidd’s boys to have an 8-7 winning record.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case when Doncic is sidelined. So far in this season, the four-time All-Star has missed out on merely three games. Despite the valiant efforts made by the other players, the Mavericks lost on all those occasions – the Memphis Grizzlies, the Houston Rockets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Doncic wouldn’t miss out on the chance to go up against the Golden State Warriors. Averaging 30.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8 assists in the 16 games against the Warriors, the 2019 Rookie of the Year seems to elevate his game when facing off against Stephen Curry. Further, with the prominent defensive presence of Draymond Green out of the clash, it will be a difficult task for Steve Kerr’s boys to prevent him from going on a scoring rampage.
