Luka Doncic’s injury status for Clippers-Mavericks Game 4.
DALLAS — Luka Doncic endured an injury scare on Friday during Game 3. He fortunately returned and helped Dallas earn a pivotal 101-90 win, but he admitted that his knee was “stiff” following the victory. Head coach Jason Kidd shut down concerns over Doncic’s apparent injury on Saturday, but he is still listed on the injury report for Game 4.
Teams tend to proceed with caution when it comes to knee concerns. However, Kidd made it seem likely that Doncic will play on Sunday. Additionally, Luka will want to be on the court for a crucial Game 4 affair.
If the Mavs can earn the win, they will clinch a 3-1 series lead before heading back to Los Angeles. A loss would not only even the series at two games apiece, but it would provide the Clippers with home-court advantage once again.
The Mavs currently have momentum after winning the second and third games of the series, but the Clippers are one good victory away from being right back in this series. So is Luka Doncic playing tonight vs. the Clippers?
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Luka Doncic’s injury status for Game 4 vs. Clippers
Doncic is listed as questionable for Game 4 due to right knee soreness. Tim Hardaway Jr., who missed Friday’s game with an ankle injury, has been upgraded to doubtful. Olivier-Maxence Prosper is out with an ankle injury.
-Luka Doncic (right knee soreness) is listed as questionable, but today Jason Kidd made it sound like Luka will likely play in Game 4.
-Tim Hardaway Jr. (right ankle sprain) has been upgraded to doubtful after missing Game 3.
-Olivier Maxence-Prosper (left ankle sprain) is out.
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) April 27, 2024
Again, Kidd sounded confident while speaking to reporters on Saturday. He did not give Doncic an official status for Sunday’s game, but barring a setback it would be surprising to see Luka not play.
One important element of Doncic’s game is his toughness. He wants to be on the floor regardless of the circumstances.
From a performance standpoint, Doncic has yet to have any jaw-dropping performances in the 2024 postseason. He’s certainly had some clutch moments, and the Mavericks would not be leading 2-1 in the series without him.
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Of course, Doncic’s standards are quite high. He’s still had a pair of 30-plus point games and he is consistently helping out in other areas as well. In fact, Luka’s impressive defensive effort has been one of the primary storylines in the series.
Luka Doncic is doing what it takes to win games. He understands when it is time to be aggressive on offense, but he’s also more than willing to find an open teammate.
Game 4 projects to be a competitive affair. Los Angeles is going to challenge Dallas, as the Clippers will obviously want to avoid a 3-1 series deficit. Meanwhile, the Mavericks will attempt to utilize their momentum on Sunday.
When it comes to the question of if Luka Doncic is playing tonight vs. the Clippers, the answer is currently uncertain.
