Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic returned back to action on Wednesday after a seven-game absence from a sprained right ankle. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called Doncic their ‘meal ticket,' hinting that their trainers kept a close eye on the 20-year-old.
“[Doncic’s] good to go. The trainers aren’t stupid — you don’t mess with the meal ticket. We did the same thing with Dirk [Nowitzki], you don’t mess with the meal ticket,” Cuban said per the Dallas Morning News.
In his first game back from injury, Doncic had 33 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a 130-111 win over the Sacramento Kings. Mavs forward Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, chipped in 27 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots. Cuban also shared his thoughts on the Doncic-Porzingis partnership. According to him, the Latvian has ‘gotten more comfortable' over the course of the season.
“He’s gotten more comfortable shooting threes, because that’s where he’s done the most damage. Where [Porzingis] is unstoppable is on the trail threes, right, and then because we send guys to the offensive boards, [Porzingis is] really good at that. With Luka back, you know, I think pre-injury I think [Porzingis] was still a little hesitant. He talked about not being used to taking 10 threes in a game. He’s gotten used to it. “
The Mavs are heading into the All-Star break with a 33-22 record for sixth in the West. The Rick Carlise-led squad fell down a little bit without Doncic in the lineup. Now that the Slovenian is back and healthy, they have half a season left to make things right.
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