As the Dallas Mavericks headed into the playoffs, they were seen as a formidable team that other teams would prefer to avoid. However, their trajectory may have taken a different turn due to an injury to Luka Doncic on the final day of the regular season.
Doncic exited the Mavericks’ last regular-season game against San Antonio on Sunday during the third quarter because of a left calf strain. After sustaining the injury, Doncic limped to the locker room and was promptly ruled out for the remainder of the game.
This injury comes at an unfortunate time for Doncic and the Mavericks, who secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and have their sights set on a deep playoff run this season.
To compound the situation, Doncic was seen at a hospital wearing a walking boot.
One positive aspect for Doncic is that the Mavericks’ first-round series will not start until Saturday, giving him nearly a week to focus on his recovery.
The situation nearly took a turn for the worse for the Mavs, as it seemed Doncic might not be available for their final regular-season game after receiving his 16th technical foul on Friday, which would have led to an automatic one-game suspension. However, the NBA rescinded the technical on Saturday, allowing Doncic to play on Sunday.
