Luka Dončić Out, Cooper Flagg Doubtful As Dallas Mavericks Face Los Angeles Lakers Before All-Star Break
The Dallas Mavericks could be without their current centerpiece while facing their former franchise cornerstone Thursday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers have ruled out Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) against Dallas, while the Mavericks list Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain) as doubtful entering the final game before the NBA All-Star break.
League sources told DallasHoopsJournal.com earlier this week that there was doubt Dončić would return before the break, with the expectation that Los Angeles would take a cautious approach rather than rush him back during a condensed pre-break stretch.
Luka Dončić Officially Ruled Out for Los Angeles Lakers
Dončić, 26, has been one of the NBA’s most productive players this season. In 42 games, he is averaging 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field. He leads the NBA in scoring and ranks among league leaders in assists and three-pointers made per game (3.5).
His absence is significant, particularly against Dallas. In four career games versus the Mavericks, Dončić has averaged 33.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 10.0 assists.
The Lakers also list Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness) as questionable.
Los Angeles enters at 32-21 and holds a 2-0 edge over Dallas this season, including a 116-110 win in Dallas on Jan. 24 in which Dončić posted 33 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists.
Cooper Flagg’s Status Uncertain After Phoenix Suns Loss
Dallas enters Thursday at 19-34 following a 120-111 loss to the Phoenix Suns that extended its losing streak to eight games — tying the franchise’s longest skid since Nov. 9-25, 2016.
The Mavericks are monitoring Flagg closely. League sources told DallasHoopsJournal.com that Flagg visited the medical room in Phoenix following Tuesday’s game. Additionally, he soaked his foot in ice before speaking to reporters for his postgame press conference.
Flagg finished that contest with 27 points and five rebounds, attempting 14 free throws.
“I was aggressive and getting downhill to my spots and trying to play with physicality and was rewarded with getting to the free throw line a little bit, so I thought that was good,” Flagg said. “(We were) just competing, just fighting and coming together.
“Obviously, we just didn’t start with great energy. I just felt like we were a little lackadaisical through some parts of the start of the game and we just came together and just fought. We just came together and found ways to fight and climb back into it.”
On the season, Flagg has played in 49 games and is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 34.1 minutes per game. He is shooting 48.2% from the field, 30.2% from three-point range, and 80.4% from the free-throw line, posting a 56.0% true shooting percentage. He has totaled 999 points, 321 rebounds, and 202 assists this season.
Dallas Mavericks Searching for Stability
Tuesday’s loss in Phoenix followed a familiar pattern.
Dallas missed its first nine shots and fell behind by as many as 31 points before mounting a second-half rally that trimmed the deficit to six with just over two minutes remaining.
“We got off to a slow start,” coach Jason Kidd said. “They were physical, and we weren’t in that first half, and I thought the group did a better job there in the second half with the physicality.
“And then getting to the free throw line 44 times, but we got to be able to produce some more threes. We just didn’t do that this evening, but the group fought. We had some good looks that just hit back rim.”
Naji Marshall led Dallas with 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting, marking his third 30-point performance in the last eight games.
“I’m starting to understand the game more and how to get to my spots,” Marshall said. “I’m shooting shots that I’m comfortable with and just staying in the gym.”
Despite shooting 48.1% from the field and going 32-of-44 at the free-throw line, the Mavericks were just 5-of-22 from three-point range.
“We got some looks that just haven’t gone down, and I think sometimes when they don’t go down early we kind of get discouraged, and we got to be better in this league,” Kidd said. “You got to look at taking the next one, especially with a team like this.
“They pack the paint, and I thought early on we missed some threes that we normally make. So right now we’re just not shooting it very well.”
Naji Marshall (left foot strain) and Caleb Martin (left ankle sprain) are questionable. Kyrie Irving (knee surgery) and Dereck Lively II (foot surgery) will not play.
Thursday’s matchup at Crypto.com Arena presents Dallas with one final opportunity to halt its slide before the All-Star pause — potentially without both Dončić and Flagg on the floor.
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