The Mavericks are skeptical that star guard Luka Doncic will be able to play in Game 1 of their Western Conference series vs. the Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Doncic suffered a left calf strain in the Mavs’ regular-season finale vs. the Spurs. Dallas opens the playoffs at home on Saturday.
“The Mavericks are very much preparing for the possibility of not only maybe not having [Doncic] in Game 1, but maybe even Game 2 on Monday,” Wojnarowski said on NBA Countdown, via CBS Sports. “If this was the regular season, you wouldn’t even be talking about him possibly playing this weekend.
“I think you can expect him to go down to the wire Friday, Saturday on this. But a great deal of skepticism, concern about how soon he will be available in this playoff series against Utah.”
Doncic suffered the injury after landing awkwardly after leaping for a pass. He grimaced as he clutched his calf as a result of the play.
“Though Doncic hasn’t officially been ruled out for any part of the playoffs, this injury is a significant blow to a Mavericks team that captured home-court advantage in the postseason for the first time since 2011,” wrote CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger and Jasmyn Wimbish.
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