The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Golden State Warriors 108-106 on Friday night. The victory was especially impressive as Dallas won despite Luka Doncic's absence. The Mavs superstar missed the game due to right knee soreness, but will he return on Sunday against the Houston Rockets?
The answer is yes, as Doncic is now listed as available for Sunday's contest after sitting out the win over the Warriors.
On Friday, PJ Washington played a pivotal role for Dallas. Washington scored 32 points to lead the Mavericks. He also made a number of clutch plays on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
Kyrie Irving was terrific as well. Irving finished the game with 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. He took what the defense gave him and was aggressive at times, but was also willing to trust his teammates as the Warriors focused on containing him.
In the end, Doncic was still missed, but Kidd noted that the injury wasn't expected to keep him out long.
“It shouldn't be long-term,” Kidd said of Doncic's injury before Friday's game. “You're not going to push… That's why it's a team sport. Next man up. That's what it is. We've played without Luka, we've played without Kai (Kyrie Irving), we've had injuries. That's how you have to look at it. So that's what we're doing. Next man up.”
The Mavericks didn't want to risk further injury by bringing Doncic back too soon, which is why he rested Friday. The good news is Doncic is now ready to roll again.
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Luka Doncic's injury status vs. Rockets after missing Warriors-Mavericks game
Luka Doncic was previously listed as questionable for Sunday's game, per the NBA Injury Report, after missing Friday's game.
It needs to be remembered that Friday was the second of a back-to-back at home following a five-game road trip. Doncic played Thursday before getting ruled out against the Warriors.
Heading into Sunday's game, he got two days of rest with Saturday's off-day. These two off-days proved to be crucial moving forward as the playoffs draw near.
Following Sunday's home game against Houston, the Mavs will hit the road again for a Tuesday and Wednesday back-to-back against the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets. Dallas will then return home for a clash with the Detroit Pistons before ending the season in Oklahoma City versus the Thunder.
It is going to be a busy next week as the Mavericks prepare for the postseason. As a result, they will surely continue to proceed with caution when it comes to Doncic's status.
Doncic has led Mavs to impressive 2023-24 season
Dallas dealt with uncertainty early in the 2023-24 campaign. As a result, they were hovering around the NBA Play-In Tournament spots in the Western Conference standings.
The Mavs dealt with injury trouble as well, but Luka Doncic helped keep the team afloat. He established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate and will draw serious consideration for the award.
The Mavericks' winning ways alone will catch fans' attention, as they are now the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. But Doncic's stats have been extraordinary throughout the season as well.
The 25-year-old is averaging a league-leading 33.8 points per game to go along with 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per outing. Doncic is second in assists per game and seventh in steals per game.
Of course, Luka Doncic has already enjoyed some memorable seasons. There is a reason he entered the 2023-24 campaign regarded as one of the best players in the NBA. But the attention-catching fact is that Doncic is still getting better.
For now, when it comes to the question of if Luka Doncic is playing on Sunday vs. the Rockets, the answer is yes. Sunday's Rockets-Mavericks tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.
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