Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has been in grave trouble after developing ankle and knee issues in Game 3 against the Clippers. However, when the relevance and competence of the Mavs guard were questioned after Game 2, Doncic exploded in the last game despite facing suffering. In the post-match presser, when Luka appeared before the media after the Thunder match, he clearly seemed to experience immense pain. However, despite all of it, he did not rant about it.
Yet the post-match presser was a difficult experience for the Doncic fans, as when the reporter asked the Mavs player about the part of the body that was hurting, Luka responded, “everything.”
Further talking about his physical condition, the 5x NBA All-Star updated that he might have hurt his knee once again while splitting the defenders in Game 3. However, Doncic was not so hostile toward the idea of rest, as he confessed to the press that he “need to rest.”
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It has not been a pleasant experience for Luka so far as he is battling with himself to deliver on the court. But this hustle might backfire on the Mavs guard. As the playoffs go deeper, the Mavericks will need Luka until the endgame to score on the front.
Yet it seems that Luka Doncic is taking everything lightly and wants to keep on going. Doncic even landed a sarcasm on the referee call from Game 3, saying, “On the final play when I split two defenders OBVIOUSLY nobody touched me…” despite being completely exhausted.
Coach Jason Kidd warns Luka Doncic ahead of a probable major injury
Though Luka Doncic is quite pumped up to deliver wins, Mavs coach Jason Kidd seems to be concerned about his future condition. While appearing on the show NightCap, ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe revealed that Jason Kidd has made it clear that he wants Luka to come in better shape into the Mavericks camp during the offseason. It is much different from Luka trying to bring himself into shape while appearing in the camp.
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The latter option is a double-edged sword, as it might make matters worse with his injury updates. Luka has been a support player for the Mavericks team; if it does not crumble, it does strike as a missing piece against a high-level offense. Moreover, with the physical style of play that the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing, Doncic is at a disadvantage.
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Yet the only thing that the Mavs can do is secure the win as soon as possible, moving forward ahead of Game 4. If the game goes deeper, nobody can save the Mavs from the elbows and the tricks they are facing in the second round of the playoffs.
Fans have tied their hopes to Luka Doncic after his Game 3 performance and are considering them a formidable team. However, a limping Luka is a sight no one wants to witness. Considering all of it, will the Mavs try to seal the series with a scoreline of 4-1 as the series unfolds?