By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following an early exit from the 2024 NBA Christmas Games fixture and an MRI, Luka Doncic will be sidelined for at least one month, as reported by ESPN on Thursday night.
The Dallas Mavericks are expected to officially confirm a huge blow to the bid for the best possible seed in the Western Conference standings.
On Wednesday, Doncic suffered a left calf strain against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He left the Christmas game with 2:31 remaining in the first half. After the final buzzer and pending further evaluation, he was spotted with crutches.
Behind a 19-11 record, the team coached by Jason Kidd is currently ranked fourth in the West. Besides being 5.5 games away from the Western Conference leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and trailing the overall leaders, the Cleveland Cavaliers, by seven games, the Mavs are two games safe inside the spots corresponding to a direct ticket to the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Following a four-game homestand, the Mavericks are preparing for a four-game road trip. The schedule features a visit to the Phoenix Suns in Footprint Center on Friday, before moving to the Moda Center for a meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers on NBA Saturdays, taking on the Sacramento Kings in Golden 1 Center on Monday, and wrapping up the calendar year with a clash versus the Houston Rockets in Toyota Center on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Slovenian combo guard will miss additional fixtures, beyond the next four games, meaning he will be disqualified from contention for the annual league awards, according to regulations regarding minimum appearances in the Regular Season. Due to various injuries, he has already been ruled out from eight games of the 2024-25 schedule.
Over 22 appearances this season, Doncic tallied 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.4 steals per contest.