The Dallas Mavericks are fresh off a 5-2 homestand and are now preparing to battle the Los Angeles Lakers on the road. Following the Lakers game, the Mavs will play the Golden State Warriors before returning home. Luka Doncic's availability for the road trip remains uncertain as he deals with an ankle injury, however.
Head coach Jason Kidd was asked about Doncic's injury status ahead of the road trip following Monday's victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
“I hope the California sun helps heal us, we'll see,” Kidd told reporters. “I have no idea (about Doncic's availability for the road trip). But I hope everybody goes, hopefully everybody came out of this game healthy.”
The Lakers have endured their share of frustrations during the 2023-24 season. Still, defeating the Lakers in Los Angeles is never an easy task. Dallas is certainly hopeful that Doncic can return Wednesday.
So is Luka Doncic playing tonight vs. the Lakers?
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Luka Doncic's injury status vs. Lakers
Doncic was initially listed as questionable due to a right ankle sprain, per the NBA injury report. Grant Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. were both listed as probable. Fortunately, Doncic, Williams and Jones Jr. have all been given the greenlight to play on Wednesday, per Mavs PR.
Dallas has continued to find ways to win despite dealing with injury concerns throughout the season. Fans are excited to see how the team looks when fully healthy.
Jason Kidd recently addressed the Mavericks' season so far. He admitted that it is not fair to judge the team yet because of all the injuries.
“I think with all the injuries it's unclear… It's not fair to judge this group yet with all the injuries,” Kidd said. “I think we're setting a franchise record here this afternoon (Monday) with a different starting lineup. But we can't complain. Every team is going to go through it. But I think the character of this group, you can judge. We've always bounced back after a tough game.”
When healthy, Luka Doncic has performed at an MVP level. He has averaged 33.6 points per game on 48.5 percent field-goal and 38 percent 3-point shooting. Additionally, Doncic has posted averages of 8.1 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
The Mavericks obviously miss Doncic. The team proved they can still find success in Monday's competitive 125-120 victory over the Pelicans, though. Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. combined to score 83 points in the win.
Hardaway has been shooting the ball especially well in recent action. He stepped up in a major way on Monday, scoring 41 points. Irving continues to display his impressive leadership ability while continuing to play at an elite level as well.
After scoring 42 points against the Pelicans, Irving explained how Dallas can maintain their momentum during the road trip.
“By not getting too ahead of ourselves and being satisfied with this win against the New Orleans Pelicans,” Irving said Monday. “I feel like every time we take our foot off the gas pedal… next game, we drop a dud. I don't want that happening. Even if that does happen in the next game, I don't want to say I planned it.
“It's just, I want to find that consistency. I know my teammates, coaching staff, our management want to find that consistency as well. That's what the healthy challenge is every day is waking up, preparing as best you can and going out there and trying to play your best game and living with the results.”
Doncic will play a pivotal role in Dallas' clash with the Lakers on Wednesday. When it comes to the question of if Luka Doncic is playing tonight vs. the Lakers, the answer is a big yes.
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