Luka Doncic Downgraded for Game 2 of NBA Finals

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) in the second quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports | David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Teams that win the first two games of the NBA Finals at home have won the championship 84.4% of the time (27-5). As the Celtics aim to build on their tone-setting 107-89 victory in Thursday's series opener and take a 2-0 lead to Dallas, standing in their way is a Mavericks opponent that's 3-0 in Game 2's this postseason.

And while the TD Garden visitors have only one player listed on their injury report for Sunday's matchup, that individual is Luka Doncic.

The five-time All-NBA selection's presence on there is commonplace. He's dealt with a right ankle sprain and left knee soreness during Dallas' run to the Finals.

However, after the Mavericks initially declared him probable for Game 2, they've downgraded his status to questionable, adding a thoracic contusion to the list of ailments he's nursing.

Doncic registered a game-high 30 points and a team-best ten rebounds in the series opener. But Boston's defensive masterpiece neutralized Dallas' lob threats and disrupted the five-time All-Star, who finished with one assist for the first time in his playoff career. He also committed four turnovers.

Even with Doncic downgraded, it would be shocking if he doesn't play in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, as the Mavericks fight to avoid falling into a hole that may prove too steep to dig out of against an opponent boasting six of the top eight players in this series.

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum Responds to Jason Kidd's Shocking Comment

Jayson Tatum's Joy Outweighing Pressure of NBA Finals Return

Inside the Moment that Propelled Celtics to NBA Finals Game 1 Win

Preparation and Perspective Fueling Kristaps Porzingis in NBA Finals

Celtics Set the Tone for the NBA Finals with Game 1 Haymaker

Celtics Stars Reflect on Lessons Learned from 2022 NBA Finals

Kyrie Irving Shares Regret and What He Takes from Playing in Boston

Joe Mazzulla Eviscerates Contrived Narrative about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Kristaps Porzingis Details Mental Side of Rehab as He Readies for NBA Finals Return

Al Horford Returns to NBA Finals Aiming to Add to a Legacy Already Cemented