NBA Insider Reports Bleak Outlook For Luka Doncic's Game 1 Availability
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic put together an impressive regular season with averages of 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. He played an integral role in the Mavs finishing 52-30 and securing home-court advantage for the first time since the organization's 2011 NBA Finals run.
After suffering a calf injury, it remains to be seen whether Doncic will be available to play in Game 1 of the Mavericks' first-round matchup against the Utah Jazz. He underwent an MRI on Monday that confirmed the diagnosis of a left calf strain. The severity of his injury has remained unknown.
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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
With tipoff being at noon (CT) on Saturday at the American Airlines Center, the typical timeline for a calf strain has raised concern about Doncic's chances of playing.
During an appearance on ESPN's "NBA Today," Adrian Wojnarowski reported there's significant concern surrounding Doncic's availability for Game 1.
"There's a lot of concern about how quickly in this playoff series Luka Doncic will be available against Utah. I'm told if this was the regular season, you wouldn't even be talking about Luka Doncic playing games this weekend. But this is the postseason.
"Obviously, this is a Dallas team that is built so much around Doncic. But this calf strain, I'm told, is a little bit more than a mild strain. They're going to keep working on him around the clock.
"The Mavericks have been guarded in talking about his availability, but certainly, there's concern. He had that MRI yesterday. The hope is that he will play in this series. Certainly, uncertainty whether he will be on the floor when the series starts Game 1 on Saturday."
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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
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Between Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie, there has been confidence expressed from some of Doncic's key teammates that he will manage to be ready to play in Game 1.
Doncic does have a track record of playing through injuries in the playoffs. He dealt with a sprained ankle and a cervical neck strain during last year's playoff series against the LA Clippers. However, there's always a risk when playing through a leg injury due to the threat of further injury.
The Mavericks are not required to submit an injury report to the NBA until Friday. With the nature of the injury, Doncic's calf strain will genuinely be a 'day-to-day' practice as Game 1 approaches — limiting the availability of information in the meantime.
