Despite Putting Up ?Video Game? Stats, Luka Doncic Gets a Stern Health Warning by NBA Legend Mentor

The NBA preseason has not been kind to the Dallas Mavericks. After losing two preseason games back-to-back to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Mavs suffered another setback. Luka Doncic‘s former team Real Madrid overpowered the Dallas Mavericks in a 127-123 loss, handing them their third loss this season. However, what was even worse was Luka Doncic’s injury that restricted him from playing the “most special” game of his career.

Luka Doncic only registered 9 points in the five minutes he played, before he was sidelined because of a calf strain. While Luka desperately wanted to play against his former team, the Mavs wanted to exercise caution ahead of the long 82-game season. Following the disappointing game, an NBA legend gave the Slovenian prodigy a stern health warning.

Jason Kidd warns Luka Doncic about his health

The Dallas Mavericks front office made a slew of moves in the off-season to build a title-contending roster. They brought in an exceptional ball handler, Kyrie Irving to support their franchise superstar Luka Doncic. Even though they have assembled some of the best players in the league, there is an x-factor that might affect the team’s chances greatly.

Following the Mavericks’ dismal showing in the contest against Real Madrid, coach Jason Kidd sat down to talk about the 24-year-old guard. Coach Kidd said, “Luka is one of the best players in the world, and so he’s always going to be mentioned as an MVP candidate. For him, it’s about being healthy. Again, last year’s numbers 30, 8, and 8 you know, those are like video game numbers, and he’s doing it at a high level.”?

Luka Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists last season on a 49.6% shooting. In just five seasons, the Mavs guard has amassed 4 NBA All-Star selections and also made it to the All-NBA First Team four times. Therefore, with his statistics, he is the betting favorite to win the MVP honors. However, that would only take shape if Luka can stay healthy.

Jason Kidd further added, “So we can, those two things of him being healthy and us winning, he can end up with that MVP trophy.”?

Dallas Mavericks and the injury bug

Injuries have become a cause for concern for the struggling Dallas Mavericks team. They signed Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline in February to add more star power to the team. That did not fare well for the team, as they finished 11th in the Western Conference last season.

After an entire offseason to bond, fans were hoping to get a taste of the sizzling chemistry between Kyrie and Luka during the preseason games. Much to their dismay, Irving has also sat out the last two games, citing a groin soreness. In his first showing of the season, Irving logged just two points in the 14 minutes he played.? The Mavs are more concerned about strategically managing their players’ workload to maximize their availability for the regular season. Therefore, if everything goes well, we might be able to see Kyrie and Luka’s fiery performance soon.

Read More: 9 Months After Paying Tribute to Luka Doncic for Insane 60-21-10 Game, Real Madrid Legend Finally Meets Mavericks Superstar

The Real Madrid matchup marked the end of the team’s 12-day international preseason trip for NBA Global games. The Mavs will resume their journey in Detroit against the Pistons to close out their preseason. With the regular season just around the corner, the Mavs fans hope the injury bug leaves the team soon.

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