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The Dallas Mavericks have been forced to start the playoffs without their star point guard. Luka Doncic suffered a left calf strain in the Mavs' regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs and hasn't played since.
However, Doncic is expected to make his 2022 NBA Playoffs debut in Game 4 of the first-round series. NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted the news Saturday afternoon, just hours before tip-off.
There’s increasing optimism Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will play vs. Utah in Game 4 today, sources tell ESPN. The plan is that his minutes will be limited in his first game back since suffering a calf strain on April 10.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 23, 2022
The Mavs have held their own in the series, despite Doncic's postseason absence. They hold a 2-1 lead over the Jazz heading into Game 4. Now, with Doncic back on the court, they should have no problem closing out the series in the next two games.
As of Friday night, Doncic was listed as questionable on Dallas' injury report. The designation came as a surprise to some, especially since Doncic seemed to be making great progress in his recovery.
While this is certainly a step in the right direction, Doncic isn't expected to log his typical amount of minutes. According to Wojnarowski, “his minutes will be limited.”
Hopefully, if the Mavs come out of the first round victorious, Doncic will slowly revert back to his dominant gameplay from the regular season. The 23-year-old averaged 28.4 points, 8.7 assists, and 9.1 rebounds each game. He led the Mavericks in all three categories, along with steals per game, three-pointers made, and field goals made.
