The Dallas Mavericks look to take on the Utah Jazz on New Year's Day. However, initially, key players from the Mavs are not fully certain they would be seeing the hardwood for the first day of the year. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, in particular, are both dealing with injuries.
With Irving missing games as of late, the thought of Doncic being sidelined has fans worried. With that said, everyone wants to know: Is Luka Doncic playing vs. the Jazz?
Luka Doncic's injury status vs. Jazz
Luka Doncic was initially listed as questionable for Monday's outing, as per the official NBA injury report. However, the team eventually gave him the greenlight to play.
The Mavs star was dealing with left quad soreness. While he was able to play in Dallas' previous outing against the Golden State Warriors, his status was a major question mark considering the nature of his injury.
Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, continues to recover from a right heel contusion that has kept him out for the past 12 games. Ahead of the clash against Utah, Irving's status was upgraded from doubtful to questionable. As mentioned above, he has also been allowed to return to the court.
Monday's change of injury status marks the second straight game where Irving's status was converted. Prior to the Mavs' win over the Warriors on December 30, Irving also had an upgrade in status, being listed as doubtful to play. However, the 31-year-old guard was ultimately sidelined from the game.
Aside from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, guards Dante Exum (right heel contusion) and Seth Curry (illness) were also deemed questionable ahead of the Jazz game. Luckily, they are also both available for the contest.
Additionally, there is no recent damage toward the Mavs' frontline. Apart from Maxi Kleber, who's been out since November due to a toe injury, the lineup seems intact, with rookie sensation Dereck Lively, Derrick Jones Jr., and Dwight Powell all healthy and ready to go.
But as for the question if Mavs superstar guard Luka Doncic is playing tonight versus the Jazz, the answer is a big YES!