What is Dallas Mavs Fallout from Luka Doncic's Injury?
The opening round of the NBA Playoffs is scheduled to tip-off Saturday, April 16, and the Dallas Mavericks may already be in serious trouble.
Reports surfaced Thursday that superstar guard Luka Doncic is unlikely to play in Game 1 against the Utah Jazz due to a calf strain and just as concerning there is no timetable for his return.
Doncic suffered the injury in the Mavericks’ season finale versus the San Antonio Spurs, as head coach Jason Kidd opted not to rest his starters in an otherwise meaningless game.
Unsurprisingly, the news regarding the 23-year-old’s injury has completely shifted the odds in favor of the fifth-seeded Jazz, with Utah listed as series favorites at -310, an unlikely scenario were Doncic fully healthy.
Described by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski as “more than just a mild calf strain,” it is difficult to envision the three-time All-Star being anywhere near 100% even if he were to return to the court at some point during the series.
A popular dark horse candidate prior to Doncic’s injury, Dallas now holds the 11th best odds to win the NBA Finals at +2700.
It’s an unfortunate turn of events, as the Mavs had been one of the league’s hottest teams while capturing home-court advantage for the first time since 2011.
Dallas played 17 games without Doncic during the regular season, going 8-9 over that stretch. Players like Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie are capable of stepping up offensively, but it will be nearly impossible to replace the type of production the Slovenian supplies on a nightly basis (28.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 8.7 APG).
If there is a silver lining, it’s that Utah was just 20-21 on the road during the regular season. Rumors have also swirled about possible tension between the team’s stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, leading many to speculate this could be the pair’s final year together.
Anything is possible, but the Mavs are undoubtedly facing an uphill climb.
All NBA odds and betting lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
