Mavs' Luka Doncic May Not Be Ready For Game 2 vs. Jazz
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Dallas Mavericks have “significant concerns” about guard Luka Doncic’s (calf) availability for Game 2 of their series against the Utah Jazz.
Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic (calf strain) will be out for Game 1 vs. Utah on Saturday and significant concern remains for his availability Monday in Game 2, sources tell ESPN. Mavs will play long game w/ injury and take it day-by-day after playing without him Saturday.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2022
It sounds like the injury is more severe than initially thought. The first red flag was when Doncic was ruled out of Game 1 two days before tip-off, which means the team saw no path for him to play with 48 hours of recovery still available. The Jazz could take a quick 2-0 lead if he cannot play the opening two games of the series. Doncic is one of a shortlist of players whose presence is significant to the outcome of a series. Without him, the series becomes a brutal matchup for Dallas.
Doncic averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game in 65 starts this season. With him unavailable in the backcourt, the Mavericks will likely rely more on Jalen Brunson.
Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks Series Odds
The Dallas Mavericks are currently +245 on the moneyline to win the first-round series against the Utah Jazz, per the FanDuel Sportsbook.
