Luka Doncic officially back after missing last 10 games

Eddie Sefko: Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber all available and will play on a minutes restriction, per Jason Kidd. He called a Christmas gift.
Source: Twitter @ESefko

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Mavericks welcome back Luka, Hardaway, Kleber and knock off Thunder. Returnees relate their COVID-19 tales as Mavericks cap 3-2 road trip.
mavs.com/mavs-stop-thun… – 10:43 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Chest burning and shot feeling “weird,” Luka Doncic logged a near triple-double in his victorious return for the Mavs: dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 10:29 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic on returning from a career-long 10 game absence: “My chest was burning. .. It was a weird feeling, but happy. Very happy.”
Said he had “low energy, very tired all the time” for several days with COVID. – 9:44 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Marquese Chriss, who once got fined for pushing Luka, played as Luka’s teammate today for the first time.
Laughed and said they didn’t talk about that, but made it clear he loved playing with Luka … bc who wouldn’t?
“Playing with someone who loves to play the ball is easy.” – 9:40 PM Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Mike Wilks on Aaron Wiggins defending Luka “he gave a great effort..still give credit to Luka, he missed shots he normally will make.” Says Wiggs “provides a defensive impact” – 9:31 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka assisted Marquese Chriss for 3 baskets, 8 points tonight in their first game together:
Jason Kidd: “Luka has good rhythm with anybody who can catch the ball. … They understand each other’s game, and I think it’s going to help us going forward.” – 9:24 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
Some history on the OKC side tonight. Josh Giddey with a triple-double 17P/13R/14A. He’s the youngest player in NBA history with a triple-double at 19 yrs, 84 days old. He’s the 4th teenager in NBA history with a triple-double joining LaMelo Ball, Markelle Fultz and Luka Doncic. – 9:20 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Thought Luka did a really good job of moving the ball except for the last couple of possessions when he held it and didn’t move it until too late. The pass to Kleber, though, for the kill shot 3 was a work of art – 9:16 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
The return of key pieces helps the Mavs to a 95-86 win tonight at OKC. Luka (14P/9R/10A), Tim Hardaway Jr. (15 pts to share team lead w/ Marquese Chriss), Maxi Kleber (9 pts, 5 rebs, key 3 w/ 22.7 left). Mavs complete extremely difficult under the circumstances 5 game trip at 3-2 – 9:16 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs notes from their win tonight:
1st win when scoring <100 (Were 0-11)
9-2 when opp <100
Every win this yr have held opp to <110, & have had lead of 10+. Have had 10+ lead in 7 straight gms Last time 7 straight was Dec 2017.
Luka 14-10-9. 16th time 1 reb or ast shy of Trip/dbl – 9:10 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Youngest player with a triple-double:
19y, 84d — Josh Giddey
19y, 140d — LaMelo Ball
19y, 317d — Markelle Fultz
19y, 327d — Luka Doncic
They are the only 19 year-olds with a triple-double in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/bEtooFkNnq – 9:08 PM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
this Luka pass to setup the game-sealing 3 goooood grief pic.twitter.com/x9aG1AzA9p – 9:05 PM Michael Dugat @mdug
If Luka kept setting people up that open, one had to fall – 9:03 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Mavericks up 73-64 after 3 quarters in spite of 12 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds by Australian Josh Giddey. Luka with 10-6-7. No Maverick has more than Tim Hardaway’s 11 points. Very balanced effort. – 8:39 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs doing exactly what they should be doing to OKC. 19-5 run in 2nd helping to 51-39 halftime lead. OKC last in scoring /29th in FG%. Held to 37.5. Egalitarian offense for Mavs. No one w/10+ pts Hardaway w/9, Chriss 7. Luka 7-5-4 in 13 min. 2nd half soon @theeagledallas – 8:07 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
The 3 Mavs back from COVID tonight (Luka, THJ, Maxi) have combined for 24 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists at the half.
Mavs lead Thunder 51-39. – 8:04 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Luka Doncic just went between the legs of Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Roby for a layup by Dwight Powell. The Mavericks are up 51-39 at halftime. – 7:59 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Sorry for the Twitter interruptus. Technical difficulties. And, yes, I realize some of you are thankful for that. But Mavericks get out of first quarter up 26-22. Luka with 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists. – 7:34 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka’s first bucket after missing 10 games with ankle soreness/COVID: a pretty looking stepback 3 from his left-wing sweet spot.
Also has two rebounds and a lob assist to Dwight Powell already. – 7:16 PM Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
Aaron Wiggins on Luka Doncic to start. – 7:10 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
Mavs at Thunder about to start on BSSW. Luka, Hardaway and Kleber return from health and safety protocols. Jason Kidd said before the game he expects them to be on a minutes limit. Porzingis is out on the front end of back to back before a home game vs Denver tomorrow – 6:58 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs will use their 15th different starting lineup:
DFS, Kleber, Powell, Brunson, Doncic.
OKC starters: Wiggins, Pokusevski, Roby, Giudei Jerome.
6:10 tip @theeagledallas – 6:46 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
The Mavs’ starting lineup tonight vs. Thunder includes Luka Doncic for the first time in 23 days:
Luka, Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell – 6:38 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have played together in just 15 of the Mavs’ 35 games this season.
Ain’t gonna happen again tonight: dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 6:06 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Getting ready for all those corner threes Dorian Finney-Smith hopes to get tonight with return of Luka. pic.twitter.com/ipZcA4SsLv – 5:57 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber all available and will play on a minutes restriction, per Jadon Kidd. He called a Christmas gift. – 5:42 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jason Kidd with the Mavs’ pre-OKC rundown:
Luka, THJ and Maxi will be active, will have minute limit “because I don’t even know how long they’ve been out.”
Ntilikina is back after missing Friday with a left thigh contusion.
KP will rest first the night of back to back. – 5:42 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
JKidd makes it official: Luka, Hardaway and Kleber are all in the lineup tonight. Ntilikina too. KP will rest. 6:00 tip @theeagledallas – 5:41 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Hamidou Diallo (34p/14r), Saddiq Bey (21p/17r), and Luka Garza (20p/14r) led the @Detroit Pistons to a 119-116 win over the Spurs last night.
The last NBA team to have three players record at least 20 points and 14 rebounds in the same game was the Buffalo Braves on Nov. 3, 1974. pic.twitter.com/8IgxcDza9Z – 10:01 AM Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
Top Rookies on Sat
Luka Garza, 20 pts, 14 reb, 1 stl
Jalen Green, 29 pts, 1 reb, 1 ast, 5-8 3P
Herb Jones, 14 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk
Daishen Nix, 13 pts, 1 ast, 2 stl
Trevelin Queen, 10 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl
Corey Kispert, 10 pts, 4 reb – 11:27 PM Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons‘ Luka Garza’s 20 pts ties his career high, and his 12 rebs is a career high. – 9:36 PM Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Luka Garza has a double-double. 16 points, 10 rebounds – 9:08 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
END OF 3Q: Motor City Pistons 85, Spurs 81
Diallo: 26 points, 11 rebounds
Cassius Stanley: 17 points
Luka Garza: 14 points, 9 rebounds
Saddiq Bey: 10 points, 7 rebounds
Justin Robinson: 8 points – 8:53 PM Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
After review, the officials change the foul call to a flagrant-1 for #Pistons Luka Garza. He’ll get 2 FT and DET gets the ball. – 8:39 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
HALFTIME: Spurs 59, Pistons 52. Detroit turned it up on defense with that full-court trap and it led to some turnovers.
Diallo: 15 points, 5 rebounds
Cassius Stanley: 12 points
Saddiq Bey: 7 points, 4 rebounds
Luka Garza: 9 points, 6 rebounds – 8:08 PM Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
Didn’t think I’d be watching Micah Potter, Jock Landale and Luka Garza in an NBA game in 2022 but we roll with the punches. – 7:37 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
State of the Mavs’ union tomorrow vs. OKC:
Maybe in: Luka, THJ, Maxi
Maybe out: Kristaps Porzingis
The latest on fluid availabilities: dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 7:21 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Luka Doncic out of NBA COVID protocols; Hawks’ McMillan enters nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/01/luk… – 7:03 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
Pistons starters: Derrick Walton Jr., Cassius Stanley, Hamidou Diallo, Saddiq Bey and Luka Garza – 6:53 PM Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Derrick Walton Jr., Cassius Stanley, Hamidou Diallo, Saddiq Bey and Luka Garza will start tonight against the Spurs – 6:51 PM

More on this storyline

Christopher Hine: News from Chris Finch on Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. He said they’re “at the end of their protocol run.” Have to get up to speed physically. Did not anticipate they’d be ready tomorrow vs. Clippers. Said Wednesday at home against OKC is a “more realistic target.” -via Twitter @ChristopherHine / January 2, 2022 Law Murray: Clippers injury updates for Monday night at Minnesota: – Luke Kennard not listed at all due to health and safety – Jay Scrubb out of protocols, out due to reconditioning – Nicolas Batum questionable due to right ankle -via Twitter @LawMurrayTheNU / January 2, 2022 Sean Highkin: Chauncey Billups: “I had very minimal symptoms. A couple days with a scratchy throat, the occasional cough. It wasn’t that bad. I was very lucky. I was a little bored.” -via Twitter @highkin / January 2, 2022