The Dallas Mavericks rely heavily on their Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic. He has been one of the most consistent players in the league in recent times. The 25-year-old has revived the team on several occasions. However, for the second straight year, the Mavs will miss Luka Magic in the preseason games. Injuries are an eyesore and the point guard is undoubtedly feeling the emotion to the tee.

Two days into training camp, the team sidelined the 5x NBA All-Star with a calf injury. Diving a bit further into the details, the guard had a contusion in his left calf while preparing for the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 7. This simply means Luka Doncic will miss the preseason opener. So, is Doncic playing tonight? The most probable answer is no. However, Dallas Hoops Journals’ Grant Afseth shared a piece of positive news with the fans. The point guard sank a half-court shot during the Dallas Mavericks shootaround. Typical Luka Doncic!

How can a mere injury restrain the hooper in him? But, there is no point in risking his calf’s situation by throwing him on the floor to play the game. Instead, we’ve got to wait for him to return to the floor on October 24 when the Mavs will face the San Antonio Spurs in their first regular season game. But the overall situation in Dallas doesn’t look quite promising. Besides Luka Doncic, other key players including P.J. Washington Jr., Maxie Kleber, and others have also been sidelined.

Luka Doncic is not the only one to make to the list of injured players for the Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson are resting for the game against the Grizzlies, while key teammates deal with injuries. Not just Luka Doncic, but Kessler Edwards, Maxie Kleber, P.J. Washington Jr., and others have myriads of concerning injuries. Meanwhile, Irving, who underwent surgery on his left hand during the offseason is hoping to get some special and additional rest for rehab.

Going in-depth into the injuries, we’ll see that  Dante Exum is out with a right wrist injury, Maxi Kleber is out with a left ankle sprain, Kessler Edwards is out with a left ankle sprain, and Brandon Williams is out with a right calf strain. However, Luka Magic would be the most missed player of the lot. This is because of the consistency he’s kept up through the five seasons he’s been around the NBA picture. With an average of 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game in the 2023/24 season, the Slovenian shooting guard has been nothing less than a miracle.

Despite last season’s 4-1 Finals loss to the Celtics, Luka Doncic has consistently averaged over 20 points since his debut. This itself is an outstanding achievement for the 25YO. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks will have to rely on Spencer Dinwiddie, Naji Marshal, and Dereck Lively II to take center stage for the preseason opener. So, October 7 will be an interesting day for the Mavs, watch out!