DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are preparing to host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night in the second of a back-to-back, but will need to do it without Luka Doncic.
Doncic was downgraded to doubtful on the injury report Friday due to right knee soreness, and has officially been ruled out leading up to tip-off. Maxi Kleber is listed as questionable and is a game-time decision, while Dereck Lively II and Josh Green were ruled out.
The good news is that Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said the injury likely will “not be long-term.” Still, it will certainly be a situation to monitor.
Luka and Kyrie Irving led Dallas to a 109-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday to maintain their position as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. Doncic recored another double-double in the affair, finishing the game with 25 points and 12 rebounds to go along with eight assists.
Defense was the story of the game. The Mavs ended up forcing 21 Hawks turnovers while holding Atlanta to under 100 points. They will need a similar effort against a potent, albeit sometimes inconsistent 2023-24 Warriors team on Friday.
Luka Doncic's injury concern
Doncic has dealt with injury trouble at times during the 2023-24 campaign. He's managed to still remain on the floor for the most part. With the playoffs right around the corner, the Mavericks are proceeding with caution.
So how will Golden State prepare to face the Luka Doncic-less Mavericks?
“Well, you still have plenty to worry about without Luka,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “Kyrie becomes a focal point, but they have guys who are still very capable… It definitely changes things in terms of matchups and how we have to approach certain aspects of the game.”
Luka leads the league in points per game with a mark of 33.8. He's also shooting an efficient 48.6 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from deep. Doncic is unquestionably one of the best players in the NBA, and the Warriors will present a major challenge amid his absence.
Still, the Mavericks defense has displayed the ability to perform well in recent action. Of course, Kyrie Irving's offense prowess will give the Mavericks a leader with Doncic out.
In other words, there is still hope amid Doncic's absence. It's obviously far from ideal, and the Mavericks are hopeful he can return as soon as possible. There is a chance he will be back for Sunday's game against the Houston Rockets.
For now, Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks will look to earn a huge victory over a talented Warriors team on Friday night in Dallas. We will continue to monitor and provide updates on Luka Doncic's injury status as they are made available.
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