The Dallas Mavericks have been cruising during the second half of the season. However, they were dealt a nasty blow in their final game of the regular season. Luka Doncic, the team's ace, suddenly exited the game after coming up hobbled during a live play. You can see the exact moment Doncic injured himself here.

Doncic has subsequently been ruled out of the game completely due to a left calf strain.

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Doncic has been the powerhouse of this Mavs team, as he's carried a larger load on offense this season. He's posting fringe MVP-level averages this season, and would likely be more recognized for the honor if not for the front-runners' insane lead. Losing him prior to their playoff push would be a death sentence for the team.

Fortunately, there's optimism in the Mavs camp that Luka Doncic's injury as serious as imagined.

Doncic was in fact set to miss this season finale of the Mavs against the Spurs after earning his 16th technical foul against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the league rescinded the technical foul, allowing Doncic to play in this pivotal match. The Mavs are gunning for the second seed in this game, hence why they still played their star despite securing a playoff spot already.

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