The Dallas Mavericks, last year’s Western Conference champions, underwent a bit of a roster shakeup in the offseason. Naturally, they had their share of ups and downs to begin the season. However, they are currently on a three-game winning and are finally starting to click on all cylinders. The Mavericks currently own the No.10 seed in the West, but there is reason to believe they will climb the standings as the season progresses. This could potentially be delayed, however, as the Mavericks will have to play without star Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future due to an injury.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Doncic suffered a wrist injury. The Mavericks will re-evaluate him in a week.
Luka Doncic is expected to be re-evaluated in one week with a right wrist strain, sources said. https://t.co/nPsd8jGmNN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2024
Dallas Mavericks Star to Miss Time Due to Wrist Injury
How the Dallas Mavericks Will Make Up For Luka Doncic’s Absence
Losing Doncic is undoubtedly a big blow for the Mavericks. It is especially unfortunate timing given the recent streak they have been on. Hopefully for them, this injury is minor and Doncic will return in a week or so. While Doncic is out, the Mavericks will rely much more heavily on Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson on offense. Additionally, Quentin Grimes will likely play more minutes as well.
The Mavericks have played one game without the Slovenian native this season–a 121-119 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the win, Irving recorded 23 points on 50% shooting, six assists, and a rebound. On the other hand, Thompson only scored five points on 9.1% shooting. However, he did record three rebounds, two steals, and a block as well. With Doncic set to miss multiple games, Thompson’s performance is crucial to Dallas’ success.
Another Maverick who excelled against the Thunder was P.J. Washington. In the win, Washington recorded 27 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, and one block. Though he does not directly benefit from Doncic’s absence, it is interesting to see Washington have this type of game in this way. The big man will be a player worth monitoring for the next week.
Luka Doncic’s Season So Far Before His Injury
In 14 games played so far, Doncic is averaging 28.1 points on 43.5% shooting from the field and 32.4% from the three-point line. He is also averaging 7.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. While these are all MVP-caliber numbers, these are low compared to Doncic’s past campaigns. Doncic has been battling other injuries this season, and it is possible that the Thompson addition will naturally impact Doncic’s numbers. Still, it is something to keep an eye on as Doncic aims to get the first MVP award of his NBA career.
Regardless, even when he is not at his peak, Doncic is still an incredible player who can change the game. He is essential to the Mavericks’ success. Additionally, he was the main reason they made the NBA Finals last season. With how young this season still is, Doncic sitting out for at least a week may be the right call. This time off will allow Doncic to heal and come back even better health-wise.
