Real Madrid Defeats Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavs as Calf Strain Limits Superstar

Mavs superstar Luka Doncic was limited to playing just five minutes in his homecoming game against Real Madrid due to a calf strain.

MADRID, Spain — A significant highlight of the Dallas Mavericks' 12-day international trip was Luka Doncic's homecoming game against Real Madrid, the European club he developed with before ultimately declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft. Real Madrid achieved a 127-123 victory. 

It was reported before the game by Marc Stein of The Stein Line that Doncic would likely be limited to playing around five minutes total due to a calf strain. Doncic sought to play longer, but the Mavs are being "ultra-cautious" with the injury. 

The Mavericks tell @BallySportsSW they will have to limit Luka Dončić to roughly five minutes of playing time in his Real Madrid homecoming game due to a left calf strain.

Dončić desperately wanted to play more, I'm told, but Dallas established this limit to be ultra cautious.

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 10, 2023

Doncic checked out of the game at the 7:01 mark of the first quarter, with almost exactly five minutes of action. He finished with nine points, all of which came on pull-up 3s with light contests from the defense.

“I was waiting for this game all summer,” Doncic said. “With the exception of not being able to play more, it was all very special. The whole day was very special.”

The Mavs trailed for much of the first half but retook a 67-64 lead after Tim Hardaway Jr. converted a pull-up 3 with 35.2 seconds left in the second quarter. Hardaway scored 18 first-half points, providing Dallas with a major spark, with Doncic and Kyrie Irving both sidelined for the game. The team was often moving the ball and getting into actions as opposed to repeatedly relying on high pick-and-roll.

"I thought the team did a great job for three quarters since we gave up 38 there in the first quarter and scored 37," Kidd said. "I thought we got control of the game there in the middle of the second quarter, and I thought coming out after halftime, our defense and offense were at a very high level.

"I love the way that we played. It was a big carryover from yesterday with just the ball movement," Kidd explained. "We tried to limit the pick and rolls because that's something that we can do well, but we played with the pass and screening. For three quarters, we were really good."

Luka Doncic at his press conference ahead of the Dallas Mavericks' game against Real Madrid / NBA Spain

The Mavs maintained control for much of the second half after Real Madrid's hot perimeter shooting cooled. However, the Mavs put in some non-rotation players late midway through the fourth quarter. Real Madrid cut Dallas' advantage to just three with 4:01 left in regulation, then took a two-point lead numerous times within the final two minutes after former Mavs guard Facundo Campazzo finished at the rim twice.

A.J. Lawson drove hard right to the rim to potentially tie the game with under a minute left but was blocked at the rim. Campazzo, who scored Real Madrid's final nine points, then went down the other end to score. The Mavs ultimately failed to rally back to achieve the win, but remain optimistic about their outlook.

"Unfortunately, in that last five minutes, Madrid was better," Kidd said. "As a whole, as a coach, I'm happy where the team is after 12 days on this trip. Now we go back home."

Before the Mavs' shootaround, Doncic described facing Real Madrid as arguably the "most special" match of his career, and he's very much looking forward to facing his former club. 

"Everyone is pleased to be here, and I'm the happiest. We're in preseason, and it's not going to be easy playing against Madrid," Doncic said before the match. "I've been waiting for this match for months. It's going to be very special for me, maybe the most. It's going to be really exciting, and I'm looking forward to getting out there on the court."

While Doncic's participation in the match was limited, he was grateful to be back in Madrid. The experience of walking the streets and working out familiar facilities is a great reminder for Doncic of his upbringing with the club.

"There are many memories just being here," Doncic said. "Being here, being in Valdebebas, being in Madrid, there are a lot of memories. Beautiful memories. And well, I'm very happy to be back."

Doncic already mentioned his desire for the Mavs to play another match in Madrid. Given the nature of his being limited in his first game back, it surely only would increase his desire to have another opportunity to do it again while answering whether he'd seen Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

"I haven't seen it, but hopefully, we'll play there one day, with the NBA bringing us back," Doncic said. 

The Mavs have a preseason finale against the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Center on Oct. 20, with plenty of time for Doncic to recover.