Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic Dealing with Knee Injury After Game 3 Win vs. Clippers: 'It's Pretty Stiff'

Despite Luka Doncic's knee injury, the Dallas Mavericks secured a 2-1 lead in the NBA playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Apr 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to a three point / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Luka Doncic suffered a knee injury in the first quarter, but the Dallas Mavericks secured a 101-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to take a 2-1 series lead in their first-round playoff series.

Doncic, who was visibly in pain after the injury, remained optimistic about his chances of continuing in the series.

"Not good. I felt it before I hit the knee. It’s pretty stiff right now, but we’ll know more tomorrow," Doncic said. You know me, I’ll try to go anyway."

Apr 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to a three point / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Doncic had tallied 22 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Kyrie Irving also stepped up, contributing 21 points and six assists, helping the Mavericks overcome their shooting struggles from the perimeter, where they were just 9-34 (26.5%) as a unit.

“I think defense dictated the offense," Doncic said. "I think we didn't play great offensively, especially me, but we won the game, that’s all that matters.”

Despite his injury, Doncic briefly returned to the game before the first quarter ended, though he was not at full strength. The Mavericks used a strong second quarter to build a lead they would not relinquish.

The Mavericks dominated inside, outscoring the Clippers 52-38 in the paint and securing 22 fast-break points. The team's depth shone through, with key contributions from P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr., along with Daniel Gafford, who had been questionable due to back spasms.

“We’ve talked about our energy, positive energy, protecting one another, trusting each other," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "You can see the chemistry is at a high level on both ends. That’s just something that we’ve always talked about, making sure that we’re not making a bad mistake and putting our teammates or our team in a bad situation. I thought the guys did a good job and have done a good job of protecting one another.”

The Clippers struggled with turnovers and shooting efficiency. James Harden and Norman Powell each scored 21 points, but turnovers and poor shooting from the perimeter plagued their performance.

As the series progresses, the focus will remain on Doncic's health and his ability to contribute, with more information expected after further medical evaluation. The Mavericks want to continue their playoff run, hoping Doncic can play a significant role.