Luka Doncic just scored 44 points in Game 3 of the Dallas Mavericks' first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers… and yet he is listed as questionable for Game 4 in a series the Mavs lead 2-1.
The Mavs evidently felt the need to classify Luka Doncic as questionable, even though no one in his or her right mind would guess that the superstar won't play Sunday night in a hugely critical game for Dallas.
Mavericks list Luka Doncic as questionable for Game 4 due to a cervical strain. He said after the Game 3 loss that the pain started in his neck and went down his left arm.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 29, 2021
Luka Doncic has carried the Mavs in this series. It is true that he does need enough help from his supporting cast to get the job done, and he didn't receive that help in Game 3 on Friday night. Yet, regardless of how much help he gets, Doncic is performing at a superstar level and is continuing to raise expectations for his career.
This is the obvious question connected to the Mavs listing him as questionable: Will Luka Doncic be fit enough to play at a high level without missing more minutes? The Mavs were shredded in Game 3's non-Luka minutes.
The Clippers struck back in Game 3 — and overcame an early 19-point deficit to stay in the series — not just because Kawhi Leonard and Paul George performed brilliantly. That was the main reason the Clippers thrived, but they also received important contributions from Rajon Rondo and Marcus Morris. The Mavs' margins are extremely small in this series to begin with, even when Luka Doncic creates magic on the court.
If Luka Doncic is noticeably hampered in Game 4 or any future game this series, it becomes a lot harder to see how the Mavs can win, simply because everything runs through Luka and depends on his signature ability to create offense for Dallas.
This is yet another injury situation hovering over a West first-round series. Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Jamal Murray, and Donovan Mitchell all have injuries (in Murray's case, a season-ending one) which are affecting the balance of power in their respective series, which is why the West playoffs feel very fragile right now. Include Luka Doncic in this larger NBA postseason storyline.
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