Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Expected to play in exhibition
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Doncic (ankle/knee/chest) is expected to play in Slovenia's exhibition against Brazil on Friday, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.
Slovenia's roster hasn't been finalized, so Doncic's availability hasn't been confirmed. However, the NBA superstar is expected to play after sitting out a match against Lithuania on Tuesday. Friday's game is Slovenia's final preparation before the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Greece, which starts July 2. Doncic dealt with multiple injuries during Dallas' run to the NBA Finals, so Slovenia is expected to monitor his workload during the Olympics.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Leads all scorers in Finals series
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Doncic ended Monday's 106-88 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals with 28 points (12-25 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 2-5 FT), 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals across 43 minutes.
Despite losing the series 4-1, Doncic was spectacular for the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. The five-time All-Star dealt with a litany of injuries throughout the playoffs, including a thoracic contusion, a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness, but still led all players in scoring in the Finals. Across five NBA Finals games, Doncic averaged 29.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.6 steals while shooting 47.2 percent from the field. The 25-year-old did struggle from deep, shooting only 24.4 percent, and he was also seen as a defensive liability at times. However, Doncic and the Mavericks will look to build off their strong season and run it back next year, as he now has NBA Finals experience under his belt.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Gets green light for Game 5
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Doncic (thoracic contusion) is available for Monday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals versus the Celtics.
Doncic is dealing with a thoracic contusion, but he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Monday's Game 5. The All-Star will lead the Mavericks into Boston as Dallas looks to cut the series deficit to 3-2 and come back from down 3-0, a feat that has never been accomplished in NBA Finals history. Doncic has been solid throughout the series, averaging 29.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.5 steals across 37.8 minutes while shooting 47.0 percent from the field.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Probable ahead of Game 5
Rotowire
Doncic (thoracic contusion) is listed as probable for Monday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals versus the Celtics.
Doncic has been a mainstay on the injury report in the playoffs, but with the Mavericks' NBA Finals hopes in jeopardy, his status seems to be nothing more than precautionary. Through four NBA Finals games, the All-Star is averaging 29.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.5 steals across 37.8 minutes. Doncic has struggled from deep, shooting just 25.0 percent from three. However, he is still shooting an efficient 47.0 percent from the field this series.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Scores 29 despite shooting woes
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Doncic accumulated 29 points (12-26 FG, 0-8 3Pt, 5-7 FT), five rebounds, five assists and three steals over 33 minutes during Friday's 122-84 win over Boston in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Doncic had another rough showing from a shooting perspective, needing 26 shots to score 29 points and missing all eight of his three-point attempts, but he still led Dallas in scoring as the Mavericks kept themselves alive for at least one more game. Doncic has surpassed the 25-point mark in 11 consecutive games during the current playoff run and is expected to play a prominent role for the Mavericks in Game 5 of the series Monday, as he'll probably have to lead the team again if the Mavericks are to pull off an upset at TD Garden.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Set to play Friday
Rotowire
Doncic (thoracic contusion) is available for Friday's Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics.
Doncic has been upgraded from probable to available Friday despite dealing with a thoracic contusion. The superstar guard is averaging 29.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals in 39.3 minutes across the first three games of the NBA Finals.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Probable for Game 4
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Doncic (thoracic contusion) is probable for Friday's Game 4 matchup with the Celtics.
Doncic is a bit banged up at the moment, but there's almost no way that he'll be sitting out a potential elimination game in the Finals. Expect to get official confirmation on his status closer to Friday's tip.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Fouls out in Game 3 loss
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Doncic closed with 27 points (11-27 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal over 38 minutes before fouling out of Wednesday's 106-99 loss to Boston in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Doncic entered the fourth quarter with only two fouls to his name, but he was called for four fouls in the final 12 minutes of action, sending him off and erasing any possibility of a potential comeback. At that point, the Mavericks had reduced the deficit to just three points, and not having Doncic down the stretch certainly limited them. The Mavericks certainly expected more from their superstar guard, who'll now have his back against the wall as Dallas attempts to avoid getting swept in Game 4 on Friday.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Available for Game 3
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Doncic (chest) is available for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics on Wednesday.
As expected, Doncic has been upgraded from probable to available for the first matchup in Dallas after Boston took the first two games at home. Doncic needed a pain-killing injection before Game 2 and might require something similar for Game 3, but no specifics were released ahead of tipoff. Doncic posted 32 points (12-21 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals in 42 minutes during Game 2.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Probable ahead of Game 3
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Doncic (chest) is probable for Game 3 of the NBA Finals versus the Celtics on Wednesday but said Tuesday during media availability that he "feels good" ahead of Game 3, Jay King of The Athletic reports.
Doncic has been a mainstay on the injury report but has not missed a postseason game yet, averaging 29.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.8 steals across 19 playoff games. The All-Star has dealt with a right knee sprain, left ankle soreness, and most recently, a thoracic contusion that required a pain-killing injection before Game 2. Doncic was stellar in Sunday's 105-98 Game 2 loss to Boston, racking up 32 points (12-21 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals across 42 minutes. The 25-year-old will look to lead the Mavericks to their first win of the series in Dallas after dropping the first two games on the road.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Needed injection before Game 2
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Doncic received a pain-killing injection Sunday before the Mavericks' 105-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals to numb the area surrounding his thoracic contusion, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports.
Doncic has been a mainstay on the injury report throughout the postseason, dealing with a right knee sprain, left ankle soreness and now a thoracic contusion. However, none of the injuries stopped him from playing in Game 2, and he put up a triple-double with 32 points (12-21 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 11 assists to go along with four steals across 42 minutes in the Mavericks' 105-98 loss. Doncic will likely receive the same injection ahead of Game 3, as the Mavericks look to win their first game of the series in Dallas on Wednesday.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Triple-doubles in Game 2 loss
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Doncic amassed 32 points (12-21 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals over 42 minutes during Sunday's 105-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Doncic recorded his third triple-double across his last six playoff appearances. Still, the star guard was uncomfortable all game long, as he was seen arguing with officials and wasn't happy about a few calls against him. Despite the team's overall struggles and the fact the Mavericks are now 0-2 in the series, Doncic remains a dominant player in all fantasy formats. While he's likely to land on the injury report before Game 3 on Wednesday, it seems unlikely that he'll miss a game, especially with the Mavericks trailing in the series.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Available for Game 2
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Doncic (knee/ankle/chest) is available for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics on Sunday.
Doncic was downgraded to questionable for Sunday's matchup due to a thoracic contusion and was considered a game-time decision, but he's been cleared to suit up after his participation in pregame warmups. He tallied 30 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and an assist in 38 minutes during Thursday's Game 1 loss.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Considered game-time decision
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Doncic (knee/ankle/chest) is considered a game-time decision for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics on Sunday, Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Doncic was downgraded to questionable ahead of Sunday's Game 2, but NBA writer Marc Stein reported earlier in the day that the point guard was on track to play. However, coach Jason Kidd said during his pregame press conference that Doncic will go through warmups before the Mavericks determine his status for the matchup. If Doncic is cleared to play, Dallas may monitor his playing time as the Mavericks attempt to even the series.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Expected to play Sunday
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Doncic (knee/ankle/chest) is listed as questionable for Game 2 of the NBA Finals versus the Celtics on Sunday but is expected to play, NBA writer Marc Stein reports.
Doncic was previously downgraded from probable to questionable due to a thoracic contusion, but he is expected to suit up for the crucial Game 2 in Boston. The All-Star was in clear discomfort during Saturday's shootaround, notably grabbing at his chest. However, he's dealt with a litany of injuries throughout the playoffs, including a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness. Despite those issues, Doncic hasn't missed a game during the postseason, averaging 28.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.7 steals in 41.3 minutes.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Downgraded to questionable
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Doncic has been downgraded to questionable for Sunday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics due to a thoracic contusion.
Doncic has been a regular on the injury report throughout the postseason due to a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness but is now listed with a thoracic contusion. He appeared to grab at his chest/rib area during Saturday's practice, per Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com, but the new injury wasn't added to the report until after he missed the media portion of Dallas' morning shootaround Sunday. It'd be a major shock if Doncic doesn't suit up for Game 2, but the superstar point guard may be limited if he gets the green light. Doncic posted 30 points, 10 rebounds and one assist in 38 minutes during Game 1.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Probable for Sunday
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Doncic (knee/ankle) is probable for Game 2 of the NBA Finals versus the Celtics on Sunday.
Doncic has been a mainstay on the injury report throughout the playoffs, which has not stopped him from playing in this deep Mavericks run. The All-Star is averaging 28.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.7 steals, shooting 44.0 percent from the field across 41.3 minutes in 18 playoff games. Doncic will look to lead the Mavericks to a win Sunday after putting up a double-double in Thursday's Game 1 loss.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Double-double not enough in Game 1
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Doncic registered 30 points (12-26 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 2-5 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist and two steals across 38 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 loss to Boston in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Doncic was the Mavericks' best player by a wide margin in the Game 1 loss, but his efforts were not enough, and at times, he looked extremely isolated on offense, as if he was the only player trying to create something out of nothing. The Celtics suffocated him with intense marking and pressure all over the court every time he had the ball, and the rest of the Mavericks didn't do enough to warrant attention from the defense when Doncic managed to find an open teammate. Expect Doncic to continue having a high usage rate in Game 2 on Sunday, but his teammates will likely need to be more impactful if Dallas is to steal that game on Boston's homecourt.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Available for Game 1
Rotowire
Doncic (knee) will be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals versus Boston on Thursday, as expected.
Doncic was listed as probable on the initial injury report, just like he has been throughout the playoffs, and that trend will likely continue throughout the Finals. He shouldn't have any minutes restrictions and should be ready to shoulder a heavy load on offense.
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Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Deemed probable for Game 1
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Doncic is probable for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics on Thursday despite a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News reports.
Doncic has been a regular on the injury report all postseason but hasn't missed a game, averaging 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 41.5 minutes across 17 appearances. The superstar point guard shouldn't face any restrictions during Game 1 in Boston.
