Luka Doncic’s Injury State Before Mavericks-Pistons Matchup

Luka Doncic could return soon, but not soon enough to face the Pistons.

Mar 9, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles against Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

For the first time during the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Dallas Mavericks and the Detroit Pistons are set to battle it out on Friday night.

When the Pistons host the Mavs, the visitors won’t have a key name in the mix as Luka Doncic remains off the floor as he continues to heal up from a calf injury.

The last time Doncic played for the Mavs was back on Christmas Day. The Mavericks hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves and managed to only roll out Doncic for 16 minutes.

Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) exchanges words with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

When the star guard left the court, he had 14 points on 56 percent shooting from the field, along with five rebounds and two assists.

The Mavericks took a loss against the Timberwolves and would soon go on a big losing streak as they looked for ways to survive life without Doncic for the time being.

Prior to going out with his injury, Doncic appeared in just 22 games for the Mavs this year. He was producing 28 points per game, along with eight rebounds and eight assists. Taking nearly 10 threes per game, Doncic was averaging 35 percent from beyond the arc.

Recently, it was reported the Mavericks are optimistic about a potential return as early as before the NBA’s All-Star break next month.

On Sunday, February 16, the NBA will host its annual All-Star event.

While Doncic could return before then, he certainly won’t see the Pistons before then. The Mavericks will continue to improve their standing in the Western Conference without the superstar on the court.

Mar 9, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles against Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

At 26-22 on the year, the Mavericks place eighth in the West. They are half a game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves. Currently, the Mavs are on a two-game winning streak.

On the other side, the Pistons are looking to climb out of a three-game losing streak. After a recent loss on the road against the Indiana Pacers, the Pistons dropped to 23-24 on the year. They are half a game behind the seventh-seeded Miami Heat.

Last season, the Mavs and the Pistons split their regular-season series. Both Doncic and Kyrie Irving were not part of the action in the mid-April game. The Pistons also missed their star guard, Cade Cunningham.

The next chance the Pistons could face Doncic is when they pay a visit to the Dallas Mavericks on March 21.

More Pistons on SI

Breaking Down Cade Cunningham’s All-Star Voting Results

Andre Drummond Reveals Big Regret From Pistons Days

2 Players Named NBA All-Star Starters Over Cade Cunningham

NBA Writer Makes Case for Cade Cunningham as MVP Candidate

Former NBA Executive Gets Honest on Pistons’ Trade Plans