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The Dallas Mavericks started Sunday with a slim chance of finishing third in the Western Conference. If they had defeated the San Antonio Spurs and lost the Golden State Warriors to the New Orleans Pelicans, they would have done it. They did their part by beating Spurs on Sunday, but they may have just paid a heavy price in the process.
With the Mavericks down 18, star point guard Luka Doncic drove to the basket and slammed to his knees with Spurs big man Zach Collins. Doncic immediately indicated that he was in pain and called for a time-out. He left the game from there, and the Mavericks shut him out almost immediately with what they call a strained left calf.
The Mavericks are supposedly optimistic that Doncic has not suffered any major injury. Fortunately, Doncic will have almost a week to recover as the Mavericks will not participate in the play-in round. Dallas, seeded No. 4 after Golden State’s win on Sunday, meets the No. 5 Utah Jazz in the first round. This series starts on Saturday at the earliest.
Doncic should not play in this game at first. In his last game, he conceded his 16th technical foul, triggering an automatic suspension for the season finale. However, this technical foul was later overturned. That allowed Doncic to play, but if he could do it again he’d probably just take the suspension.
If the past two postseasons were any indication, Dallas needs Doncic at his absolute best if it plans to make a run. He has starred in back-to-back series against the Los Angeles Clippers, but his teammates have not adequately backed him in series that the Mavericks ultimately lost. If Doncic can’t carry the Mavericks on his back again in these playoffs, their promising season may have been wasted.