April 10, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) walks off the injured field during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mavericks star Luka Doncic has left the team’s regular season final with a calf injury, and now Dallas may have to start the playoffs without him.
The Dallas Mavericks were playing their 82nd and final game of the regular season with some positioning the NBA Playoffs on the streak. As such, coach Jason Kidd knocked his superhero guard, Luka Doncic, to the ground in the late stages of the game to try and secure the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
That’s when disaster struck.
In the final moments of the game when some considered it a sure win for Dallas, Doncic landed awkwardly in traffic and, as a result, left the game and was sent back to the locker room. It was later revealed that he suffered from a strained calf and is likely to waste time in postseason. Fans, of course, hoped that wasn’t the case.
Unfortunately, this appears to be the case. On Thursday, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that Doncic is expected to be out in the Mavericks 1 game against the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Luka Doncic injury update: Mavericks star ‘expected’ to be out of first game against Jazz
It is not reinventing the wheel to say that not having Doncek on the floor for the Mavericks in a playoff series at any time would be devastating. Galen Bronson and Spencer Dinwiddie have proven to be reliable options, but no one can replace what Doncic brings to this team, especially in terms of attacking through scoring and playmaking.
Not a word on Doncic’s position after the first game at this point, but his lack of him in that game would certainly put Dallas at risk of losing their home ground advantage in this series against Utah.
Without a doubt, Doncic’s injury status will be the primary focus of the series throughout.
[ad_2]
