Getty Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic
Fans across the league were surely hoping to have the chance to see top NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Luka Doncic in a nationally-televised game Tuesday night. But as the Dallas Mavericks prepare to welcome the San Antonio Spurs to town, the status of Doncic remains up in the air due to a knee injury suffered last game.
Considering the Mavericks find themselves 10 games out of the final Western Conference playoff spot, there’s a chance the team could opt to play it safe with Doncic on Thursday. Beyond that, opting to rest the rookie phenom could give a few other names the opportunity to step in and show their own upside.
We’re going to take a look at the latest on Doncic’s injury, the severity and his status moving forward while then diving into the roster outlook and projected starting lineup.
Luka Doncic Injury Status
Immediately after the knee injury happened during the Mavericks’ 94-93 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, the concern was escalated. As Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News reported, Doncic said he “felt a pop.”
Although the outlook still isn’t ideal, the update on the knee of the Mavericks star came back far better than it could have been. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that Doncic was diagnosed with a left knee strain, but was limping noticeably during the game. In turn, he’s listed as questionable against the Spurs.
Mavericks rookie star Luka Doncic is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Spurs due to a left knee strain. He suffered the injury late in Sunday’s loss to the Rockets but finished the game despite limping noticeably.
Assuming the Mavericks opt to play it safe, Doncic could very well sit for this game unless it’s believed he’s truly very close to 100 percent. We’ll update this post as more information on his status comes out.
UPDATE: Doncic will play Tuesday against the Spurs.
Mavericks Roster & Starting Lineup vs. Spurs
*Notates expected starter
C: Dwight Powell*, Maxi Kleber, Salah Mejri
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith*, Dirk Nowitzki
SF: Tim Hardaway Jr.*, Justin Jackson, Kostas Antetokounmpo
SG: Jalen Brunson*, Courtney Lee, Ryan Broekhoff
PG: Luka Doncic*, Devin Harris, Trey Burke
UPDATE: Doncic will play against the Spurs.
It’s unknown if the Mavericks will opt to shift Jalen Brunson over to point guard, but if that’s the case they could go a few different routes with the starting lineup. One potential option could be to move Tim Hardaway Jr. to shooting guard and Dorian Finney-Smith to small forward. In that case, Dirk Nowitzki could jump back into the starting five.
Another option would be to start veteran guard Devin Harris or give an option such as Courtney Lee, Justin Jackson or Trey Burke the opportunity to start. With the Mavericks set to land outside of the playoff picture, now is as good of a time as any for the coaching staff to get a look at a few young players and evaluate the future.
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