Is Luka Doncic Playing Tonight? Worrying Update Drops In Mavs Injury Report Hours Before OKC Game 3

After losing Game 1, the Dallas Mavericks evened out the score 1-1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder during their most recent matchup. With the American Airlines Center set to host both teams again, it remains to see whether the Mavericks will manage to repeat their earlier success. For this to happen, however, having the presence of lead scorer Luka Doncic on the court is a must for the Mavs. Unfortunately, a recent update continues to place the player’s availability under a cloud of doubt.

A few hours ago, the official X account of ‘DraftKings Network‘ highlighted details from the Dallas Mavericks’ recently released Injury Report. According to it, the Slovenian player’s status has now been shifted to the ‘Questionable’ category. He had entered the semifinals while listed as ‘Probable’, but another recent injury has demoted the player’s status.

During the Mavericks-Clippers clash in the first round of the playoffs, Luka Doncic developed a knee ailment. While the same caused his name to appear on the Injury Report, he still made himself available and proved crucial for the team‘s leap. The issue remained persistent but bearable to deal with once he entered the Semifinals. However, things changed during the recent Game 2, after OKC rookie Cason Wallace stepped on Doncic’s foot, which resulted in a tweaked ankle. In a post-game presser, the Mavericks star stated that his injury was “nothing serious“. While that may have seemed the situation earlier, Doncic’s status getting downgraded to ‘Questionable’ now tells a different story.

The unfortunate news for the Mavericks keeps building on, as power forward Maxi Kleber continues to remain in the ‘Out’ Category. The player hasn’t been present in both of the Mavericks-OKC clashes ever since he dislocated his shoulder. An MRI revealed the injury to be a ‘right shoulder AC [acromioclavicular] joint separation’. His reevaluation is not scheduled for another three weeks. This means that even if the Mavericks earn a spot in the Western Conference Finals, they must go through it without Kleber.

Another player who is not expected to return anytime soon is Olivier-Maxence Prosper. However, his absence, which will mark his 8 straight, is unlikely to negatively impact the Mavs.

Unlike the home team, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Injury Report has seen no changes. The only player listed is Olivier Sarr, who played only 15 games during the regular season and hasn’t made himself available during the ongoing playoffs.

Why is Luka Doncic’s availability important during this ongoing Mavericks-OKC Semifinals clash?

Luka Doncic has proved himself to be a worthy opponent against the OKC roster ever since he became a part of the NBA. In his 13 regular season clashes throughout five and a half years, the 5x NBA All-Star had secured an 8-5 win record against them and averaged 28.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists.

During the recent regular season, his 12-game absence had caused the Mavericks to spiral down to a 4-8 win record. One of these games was against OKC, which ended with a 135-86 loss. A 49-point margin! If this doesn’t indicate just how vital the Slovenian is to the franchise!

Doncic’s prowess against the Thunder continued during the ongoing playoffs as well. Game 1 had the player going below his average by scoring just 19 points. However, things improved in the next game, as he led the scoring effort alongside PJ Washington with his 29 points. The same resulted from his 11-21 field goals, 5-8 three-pointers, and 2-2 free throws.

Do you believe the Dallas Mavericks can secure a win against OKC without Luka Doncic? Let us know in the comments down below.