Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Defeating the Clippers in six games, concerning news comes out of Dallas, specifically about Luka Doncic’s knee. With the Mavs star experiencing issues in his knee, will he be 100% for the series against the Thunder?
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After defeating Los Angeles tonight, Luka Doncic was asked about his knee that has been troubling him all series. The Dallas Mavericks star said: “I don’t think it’s going to get better before I get some rest. That’s a lot of minutes. Maybe the summer.”
Luka Doncic on his knee:
“I don’t think it’s going to get better before I get some rest. That’s a lot of minutes. Maybe the summer.” pic.twitter.com/Hots19XVDC
— Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) May 4, 2024
With the series ending in six games, the Mavericks managed to play one game less in this seven-game series. This may not give Dallas a lot of time to rest but it is still something, as Doncic was happy about it.
“Tired. It was a big game. Glad we get rest.”
I asked Luka how he’s feeling after today. “Tired. It was a big game. Glad we get rest.” #Mavs #MFFL #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/XD0rVGE6wn
— Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) May 4, 2024
Doncic went off for 28 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in Game 6 of the series. As for the entirety of the series against the Clippers, Doncic averaged 29.8 points per game, according to StatMuse.
The Mavericks now have the number one seed in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder as their next opponent. The Thunder swept the Pelicans in the first round and have had ample rest before their next matchup.
Unfortunately for Dallas, their star player dealing with issues in his knee is not something anyone would like to hear. Doncic dealt with knee issues throughout the first-round series against the Clippers. And by the looks of it, it does not seem to have subsided.
The four-time All-Star will most likely be dealing with his knee not being at full strength for the remainder of the postseason. While Kyrie Irving has been a blessing for the Mavericks, losing Luka Doncic is surely going to hamper the team’s chances of making it past the Thunder.
Hopefully, the rest of the team will make sure to help Doncic as much as they can on the floor while the team’s training staff keeps Luka healthy till they can find a better solution for his knee. The Mavericks will go on to face the Thunder for Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on April 7. Tune into TNT network at 9:30 PM ET to see the battle of the West going forward.