Mavs' Luka Doncic 'Aggravated' Left Quad Injury Against Suns
MINNEAPOLIS — The Dallas Mavericks ruled out Luka Doncic hours before the team was set to take on the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. During his Christmas Day performance that featured recording 50 points and 15 assists in a road win over the Phoenix Suns, Doncic "aggravated" his left quad.
"No, I think just with his left quad soreness, he aggravated it in the Christmas game," Kidd said of Doncic's injury. "This is not enough time to recover on a back-to-back, so he's out."
Before the Mavs' loss against the Cavs on the first night of the back-to-back, there was uncertainty expressed about Doncic's chances of playing in both games. Kidd said the team will "see what happens tomorrow" regarding Doncic's status but that back-to-backs will be a "case-by-case" process throughout the season.
"He's carrying a heavy load right now," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said before Wednesday's game. "Back-to-backs, we're going take it day-by-day. We'll focus on tonight, then we'll see how he's feeling, then see what happens tomorrow. It'll be case-by-case."
Doncic dealt with a left quad injury originating back shortly after the NBA All-Star break, which has yet to be specified. He played through it during the FIBA World Cup, leading Slovenia to a seventh-place finish, and he entered training camp with it as a storyline. He hasn't been listed on injury reports with left quad injuries until recently, being the designation for each of his two games missed due to injury.
Irving worked out before the Mavs' matchup against the Timberwolves as he continued the ramp-up process to return to competition. Before Wednesday's game, the Mavs did not offer a timetable. A player's return tends to be determined depending on how the body responds daily. When asked about it, there hasn't been a formal update about a return timetable.
"No [timetable]," Kidd said of Irving on Wednesday. "His rehab is going well. So, we'll see."
The Mavs play their next game following their road matchup against the Timberwolves when they face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in continuation of a three-game Western Conference road trip.
