Mavericks' Luka Dončić Getting Painkilling Shots to Play in NBA Finals, per Report

A sensational individual postseason is coming at a physical price.

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić (77) dribbles the ball against Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the fourth quarter in game two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has lit up the stat sheet in his first two career NBA Finals games—showing out on both Thursday and Sunday.

However, his heroics have come at a physical price.

Dončić received a painkilling injection before Game 2 and is expected to receive another before Game 3, according to a Tuesday afternoon report from Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Per MacMahon, the injection is to treat a thoracic contusion that nearly kept him out of Game 2.

Dončić scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in Game 1, a lopsided 107-89 victory for the Boston Celtics. In Game 2, he put up 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists—but the Mavericks lost again, 105-98.

In addition to the thoracic contusion, Dončić is dealing with a sprained right knee and left ankle soreness. He has averaged north of 40 minutes per game in each of Dallas's four series this postseason after only doing so in one playoff series previously.