Luka Dončić Injury Update: Will Mavericks Superstar Play Against Trail Blazers on Monday?
After being sidelined for the Dallas Mavericks’ previous two games due to a left heel contusion, Luka Donċič is questionable to play against the Portland Trail Blazers during Monday night’s matchup.
Dončić suffered his injury in the Mavericks’ road victory over the Golden State Warriors. He recorded an incredible 45 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. He’s averaging 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 20 games this season.
While the Mavericks lost their first matchup against the LA Clippers in their two-game home mini-series, Kyrie Irving’s return and a highly balanced scoring display with eight double-figure scorers set the tone in Saturday’s victory.
“We have a next-man-up mentality. Injuries or illness don’t stop us,” Mavericks center Dereck Lively II said. “Everyone’s ready to step up and show what they can do. We stay confident and have each other’s backs.”
Latest on Luka Donċić’s Injury Recovery
The Slovenian superstar did “court work” while the Mavericks practiced on Friday, which suggests he’s progressing toward a return. By the time the Mavericks tip off their next game, it’ll have been eight days since Dončić’s injury and facing Portland.
The Mavericks did not practice on Sunday and aren’t scheduled to have a shootaround on Monday, making it challenging to get a good read on Dončić’s status beyond the injury report.
There have been instances when Dončić has returned under tight circumstances, including playing on the second night of a back-to-back in Portland on December 1 after getting in an on-court workout at Delta Center in pre-game before the Mavericks’ victory over the Utah Jazz the night before.
Dallas Mavericks’ Handling of Luka-Less Games
With a 6-2 record in games Dončić doesn’t play, the Mavericks have significantly improved their handling of his absences. In the past, these games felt like automatic losses. The team feels he doesn’t have to rush back from injuries prematurely.
“It shows Luka doesn’t have to carry the weight all the time,” Lively said. “He can rest, get right, and know the team has his back. We don’t want him worn down, and we’ll hold it down until he’s 100%.”
Lively feels that a team-wide mentality emphasizes aggressiveness regardless of who is on the court, which helps their execution without Dončić.
“It’s hard to say, but we stay aggressive and intense no matter who’s on the floor,” Lively said. “If we notice we’re standing around, we remind each other to be aggressive, drive, take shots, and play together.”
Other Dallas Mavericks Injuries
Regarding other injuries, it remains to be seen when Danté Exum can return from right wrist surgery. The surgery has sidelined him since training camp. He and Jaden Hardy are listed as out on the injury report again.
“He’s out there doing everything left-handed. He’s working extremely hard. It looks great,” Kidd said about Exum. “Hopefully, here, at some point, he’ll start to be able to use the hand he had surgery on.”
Hardy has been doing on-court work since the Mavericks’ return from San Francisco, so he doesn’t seem far off from being able to play. He suffered the injury on December 5 in the fourth quarter of the team’s blowout victory over the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.
The Mavericks will tip off against the Trail Blazers on Monday at 7:30 p.m. CT at the American Airlines Center.
