Luka Doncic Injury: Mavericks Star OUT For Game 2 vs. Jazz
The Dallas Mavericks were without Luka Doncic in their 99-93 loss to the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday. The focus remains on the ongoing recovery of Doncic as he works through a left calf strain.
Doncic participated in on-court work for the last two days with Sunday being the latest. While that is progress, it was limited to light shooting. The team announced on Sunday he is doubtful to play in Monday's Game 2, but he was ruled out on Monday close to tipoff.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
"Yesterday was another good day, and today he's back on the court, so that's a plus," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "And we'll see how he feels tomorrow."
The Mavericks relied on Spencer Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson as the starting backcourt with Doncic sidelined — both finishing with a usage rate higher than 32 percent.
Dinwiddie finished with 22 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, but struggled in some key areas. He shot shot 6-15 (40.0 percent) from the floor, came up empty on all four of his 3s, and went 10-16 (62.5 percent) on free throws.
Brunson finished with a team-high 24 points and chipped in seven rebounds, and five assists. He finished shooting 9-24 (37.5 percent) overall, 1-3 (33.3 percent) on 3s, and 5-6 (83.3 percent) on free throws.
"If (Doncic) can't play, we have to go forward," Kidd said. "We showed that already in Game 1. If it happens in Game 2, then that's the way we have to go. That's just the way sport can be sometimes.
"Injuries come at the wrong time. Luka's injury came at the wrong time, but we can't cry over spilled milk. We're all professionals and we understand what the situation is. If he can go, that doesn't automatically mean we're going to win games, but we feel better if he is on the floor. Hopefully, he can get on the floor soon."
A significant issue the Mavericks face with Brunson and Dinwiddie in the backcourt is the lack of perimeter shot creation. The Jazz showed they can go under ball screens at times and not be made to pay.
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Tom Pennington/Getty Images
With Rudy Gobert anchoring their defense, the Mavericks relied on plenty of inefficient shots as a means for survival. Often times, their backcourt was slicing up an on-ball defender all for him to take a tough floater or short-range look.
The timeline for a Grade 1 calf strain is typically 7-10 days, which would put Game 3 as a realistic opportunity for Doncic to return to the lineup. For reference, he suffered the calf strain on March 10, and it will have been 10 full days between the day of injury and Game 3 in Salt Lake City on Thursday.
