It was a solemn and sullen Mavericks team that walked into the post-game presser. Who can blame them? Luka Doncic did not sustain a sprained knee in the first-round playoffs to get tossed out by the OKC. But it was exactly this injury that proved to be the Dallas superstar’s Achilles heel.

The Dallas Mavericks will visit the Paycom Center once again for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals at 9:30 PM ET. They will be facing the No. 1 seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who showcased a dominant 117-95 victory. The youngest team in the NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. did not stop attacking even for a second. Even though the Mavs tried to rally in the second half behind Kyrie Irving, Oklahoma’s relentless scoring immediately smothered the spark.

Even so, as coach Daigneault said post-game, “The last thing we’re going to do is underestimate this opponent.” Everybody’s looking forward to how “Luka Magic” is going to change the course of Game 2. Before that, though, you might want to take a look at the Lone Star State’s injury report.

According to the Mavs’ beat writer, Grant Afseth’s latest update, three Dallas players are on the injury list. Two of them are out and one is listed as ‘Probable’. “Dallas Mavericks Injury Report Game 2 vs. OKC Thunder”

“Luka Doncic – probable (right knee sprain), Maxi Kleber – out (right shoulder sprain), Olivier-Maxence Prosper – out (left ankle sprain).”

It is true that the disappointing outing annoyed the Slovenian guard. So much so that when asked about his shooting struggles of the night, he said, “Who cares? We lost.” He also said that his sprained knee wasn’t an excuse for the dismal shooting. The 2024 scoring champion was held to 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting, effectively snapping his streak of 24 straight playoff games with at least 20 points.

Lu Dort’s defensive prowess doubled the efficiency. The 25-year-old Canadian stuck to his target for the night like glue. Along with Chet Holmgren being an absolute pest near the rim, the pair led the defense. On the shots that the rookie center contested, the Mavericks were limited to 5-of-15 shooting.

Suffice it to say that the OKC loomed like dark clouds over Dallas in Game 1.

Depth chart of the Dallas Mavericks

Taking into account the possibility of Luka Doncic not suiting up, there is no doubt that Kyrie Irving will have to pick up the slack. This would mean that the Irving “wizardry” cannot wait until the second half. While it will be especially crucial in Doncic’s absence, the 8x All-Star can very well start early. It would certainly give them an edge over their high-flying opponents.

That said, let’s take a look at the Mavs’ depth chart.

Well, one thing you have to say about Mark Daigneault and his boys is that they do not come with any unrealistic expectations. “To think that you’re going to go through games or a series when they don’t land on punches is just unrealistic. It’s a long series. We have to be ready for a better version of them coming out.” 

But what they do have is their wonderful chemistry. And if we were to go technical, their depth. Who do you have your bets on for the thrilling matchup?