Mavericks guard Luka Doncic out long term with calf strain

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According to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports on Thursday, Dallas Mavericks five-time All-Star and 2018-19 National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic of Ljubljana, Slovenia, will miss at least the next month with a calf strain. The injury is obviously a huge blow for the Mavericks as Doncic is the face of the Mavericks franchise, one of the top players in the NBA, and is averaging 28.1 points per game.

Doncic suffered the injury in a 105-99 Mavericks loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Day. He was in the process of driving to the basket while being defended by Jaden McDaniels. Doncic did not receive any contact from McDaniels on the left leg. At the time Doncic experienced the injury, he stopped, passed the basketball, and left the game soon afterwards.

In 22 games, Doncic averaged 28.1 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 7.8 assists per game and two steals per game. He has a field goal percentage of .464, three point percentage of .354, and a free throw percentage of .767.

Over the last two seasons prior to 2024-25, Doncic is one of only three players in the NBA to average 30 points or more per game. The other two players are Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2022-23, Doncic averaged 32.4 points per game, and in 2023-24, led the NBA with 33.9 points per game. During the 2023-24 season, Doncic had one magical game in particular where he scored 73 points in a 148-143 Dallas win over the Atlanta Hawks on January 26.

After Dallas’s loss to Minnesota, the Mavericks fall to 19 wins and 11 losses. That is the fourth best record in the Western Conference.

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