As a report circulated that Luka Dončić is expected to miss Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against Utah, the Mavericks continued operating at practice on Thursday as if nothing is certain.
Dončić, suffering from a left calf strain, continued to work on the side, following the training rehab the athletic training staff has devised and staying off the basketball court.
“He’s progressing, doing good,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Didn’t practice, but he’s in good spirits and had a good day. He was smiling, he’s happy . . . and looks like he’s improving.”
On Thursday afternoon, well-connected NBA reporter Shams Charania, citing sources, said that Dončić “is expected” to miss Game 1, which is on Saturday at noon at American Airlines Center.
Given that he suffered the strained calf muscle on Sunday in the third quarter of the regular season finale, the superstar point guard missing Game 1 would not be a shock.
Kidd has played everything close to the vest regarding Luka’s injury. After practice on Thursday, he had this to say:
“Injuries happen and sometimes they happen at the wrong time. This is one that just happened at the wrong time. If he can’t go, we got to play without him and we got to find a way to beat a very talented Utah team.
“With him, it doesn’t guarantee us anything. But we’ve also played without him and found ways to win. So if he can’t go Saturday afternoon, we got to be ready. We’re working all week to get ready. So we’ll see.”
Kidd said Luka knows better at this point than to try to lobby his case to play in Game 1. Game 2 is on Monday and then there is a three-day break before Game 3 on Thursday in Utah.
The medical staff no doubt has a plan in place to try to get Dončić back on the court as soon as possible.
But they obviously will not run any risk of further injury.
“They have one of the hardest jobs and that’s getting players ready throughout the season and now in the second part of the season, the playoffs,” Kidd said. “They have to work on Luka, but there’s 14 other guys they have to get ready too. This is a busy time for them, but we have the best in the league.”
The Mavericks played 17 games without Dončić this season, going 8-9. He averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists this season.
Twitter: @ESefko
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