Doncic has been dealing with a sprained knee since Game 3 of the first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers and sustained an ankle injury in a collision with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace during the recent game. Despite this, Doncic put up an impressive performance in the last game, scoring 29 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out seven assists, making three steals, and sinking five three-pointers in the Mavericks’ 119-110 victory.
Regarding the incident with Wallace, Doncic commented, “He just stepped on my foot, but nothing serious. I know he didn’t do it on purpose, so nothing serious. We just thought it was a foul. Other people would get a foul call on that one.” He also mentioned that the game was particularly challenging for him mentally, but he focused on setting a strong example for his team.
The Mavericks heavily rely on Doncic, as they have a 4-8 record without him. Despite his injuries, Doncic has been known to push through pain and rarely misses playoff games. In the current playoffs, he is averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 assists, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, but his shooting efficiency has been lower than usual, with 40.9 percent from the field and 26.5 percent from three-point range.
The Mavericks are already missing Maxi Kleber, one of their top outside shooters, who has been sidelined for the series due to a dislocated shoulder. The Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, do not have any reported injuries heading into Game 3.