Mavs optimistic Luka Doncic's injury is not major

Adrian Wojnarowski: There’s initial optimism that Dallas star Luka Doncic hasn’t suffered a significant injury, source tells ESPN. Team is calling it a strained left calf.
Source: Twitter @wojespn

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Ryan Miller @millerjryan
After Doncic injury, attention turns to health as Jazz-Mavericks get set for playoff series. It appears Utah now has that advantage. ksl.com/article/503852… – 2:42 AM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Sitting here eating a rice cake with peanut butter and thinking about how Luka Doncic received likely the most costly overturned-technical-foul, no-suspension appeal decision in NBA history.
Forfeiting a game check probably seems like small potatoes rn – 1:51 AM Eric Walden @tribjazz
After putting away Portland, the Jazz quickly switched their focus to Dallas: “They’re formidable. We have tons of respect for their program. Obviously, Luka is unique, and he’s the kind of player that is capable of putting a team on his back.”
sltrib.com/sports/jazz/20… – 1:38 AM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
The Triple Team! 3 thoughts on
1. The history of calf strains… will Luka be back by Game 1?
2. The Jazz’s 2021-22 regular season is complete. Some statistical notes on every Jazz player’s season.
3. A quick recap of the year
sltrib.com/sports/jazz/20… – 1:35 AM Jeff McDonald @JMcDonald_SAEN
If the NBA had upheld Luka’s 16th technical, he would be 100 percent healthy for Dallas’ playoff opener against Utah.
Just saying. – 1:07 AM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
And to make matters worse for Mavs, in trying to get Luka healthy, @NBA has announced that Mavs-Jazz will be the first game out of the blocks on Sat. Noon tip @theeagledallas. A 7:00 Sunday game would have been nice. – 12:46 AM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Reactions to Luka’s injury and playing the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs: “For some reason,” Jalen Brunson said, “I feel like he’ll be ready to go.”
mavs.com/luka-injured-i… – 12:42 AM David Locke @DLocke09
POSTCAST – The playoffs are here and the Utah Jazz play Luca Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks – lockedonjazz.net/jazz/postcast-… – 12:40 AM Jeff Wade @SkinWade
Y’all are missing the point, this is clearly the NBA’s fault for rescinding the 16th technical foul on Luka – 12:31 AM David Locke @DLocke09
POSTCAST – the playoffs are here. The Jazz face Luca Doncic and the Mavericks twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 12:20 AM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Luka gets the least possible time to get healthy after his calf strain tonight. Mavs-Jazz opens the playoffs next Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. – 12:12 AM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jalen Brunson on Luka Doncic: “For some reason I feel like he’ll be ready to go, knowing the competitor he is.” – 12:09 AM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Brunson on Doncic injury: “For some reason, I believe he’ll be ready to go, the competitor that he is.” – 12:09 AM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Here’s the latest on Mavs vs. Jazz and Luka Doncic’s calf injury.
mavs.com/luka-injured-i… – 12:07 AM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
5 storylines in Mavs-Jazz playoff series: Luka Doncic’s injury overshadows best hopes in a decade dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 12:04 AM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Despite a sluggish start, the Utah Jazz overwhelmed the Blazers to earn No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and a matchup against a Dallas team suddenly in fear of a Sunday night calf injury to star Luka Doncic. sltrib.com/sports/jazz/20… – 12:03 AM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Golden state wins in New Orleans
It’s official
Utah/Dallas first round….the Jazz will have to go through Luka Doncic – 11:56 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jason Kidd said he hasn’t talked to Luka or medical staff yet.
Said starters were going to play normal minutes for three quarters, and Luka’s injury came 2:24 before then.
Kidd: “We weren’t playing the New Orleans score. We were just trying to get better with the long layoff.” – 11:55 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Kidd: “I haven’t talked to medical or Luka. . . We’ll know more tomorrow.” – 11:53 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Luka Doncic injury update: Mavericks star suffers calf strain in final game of regular season vs. Spurs
https://t.co/uag4ZHVJ70 pic.twitter.com/egR60CV3ct – 11:40 PM Jeff Stotts @InStreetClothes
Re: Luka: There’s a lot of variability in calf strains. The calf is actually a muscle complex made up of multiple muscles. Severity & location will factor into resulting recovery. Average time lost for calf strains in the NBA this season was 16 days (median 17, minimum = 3 days) – 11:36 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Spurs just saw Luka go down in what will ultimately be a meaningless game. They’ve gotten plenty of time for the starters. Win ties them with WAS for lottery odds. Why is everyone still in? – 11:30 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Jazz C Rudy Gobert missed three weeks this season with a mild calf strain. That’s not to say that Luka Doncic will need that much time — and Gobert likely would have returned soon had it been the playoffs — but it’s an example of the recovery timetable from a similar injury. – 11:29 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Luka Doncic leaves Mavericks’ regular-season finale with left calf strain dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 11:27 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Re Luka, a strained calf still puts him in danger of missing time in playoffs. Rare that a calf or hamstring that causes that type of limp resolves in less than a week. – 11:24 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic leaves Mavericks’ regular-season finale with apparent left leg injury dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 11:23 PM TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Scoreobard watching:
GSW is up 20 so they are likely to be the 3rd seed.
UTA is up 16 points so DEN is likely to be the 6th seed.
DAL is up 13 points, but Luka now has a calf strain.
DEN’s best case scenario is now GSW blowing this lead & DAL holding on. – 11:23 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
There’s initial optimism that Dallas star Luka Doncic hasn’t suffered a significant injury, source tells ESPN. Team is calling it a strained left calf. – 11:22 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Trying to figure out why Luka was even playing tonight pic.twitter.com/d3QxT2Gq7Y – 11:22 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Luka strained his left calf and will not return to tonight’s game. – 11:22 PM JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic suffered a left calf strain against the Spurs tonight, per the team. The playoffs are less than one week away. – 11:21 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
Luka has a left calf strain that he suffered late in the 3Q. He will be out for the remainder of the game. – 11:21 PM Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Mavs say Luka Dončić (left calf strain) will not return to tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. – 11:20 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Mavericks say Luka Doncic has a left calf strain and will miss remainder of Spurs game tonight. – 11:20 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Left calf strain for Doncic. Will not return – 11:20 PM Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
Per Mavs: Luka Dončić (left calf strain) will not return to tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. – 11:20 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
C’mon man. Luka has to be ok. Not in Game 82. – 11:16 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Luka looked to be holding his knee after this play. Couldn’t get a look at what might have happened to him. pic.twitter.com/LjD1v2FapD – 11:16 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
With 2:24 to go in the third quarter and Dallas leading San Antonio comfortably in the teams’ season finale, Luka Doncic has hobbled off the floor with an apparently left leg injury. – 11:14 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Luka limps to the locker room after rubbing his left calf. – 11:13 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic is grabbing at his calf, limping on his way directly from the court to the locker room. – 11:13 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Luka Doncic clutching his left calf after an offensive possession. He’s heading to locker room with director of athletic performance Casey Smith. – 11:12 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Luka Doncic is grabbing his left calf and asked for a timeout. – 11:12 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs-Spurs tied at 59 in a very entertaining 1st half. 21 lead changes & 9 ties. No lead larger than 7 (and no larger than 4 in the last 18 minutes). Doncic w/18-6-4. Vassell w/13 for SA. Mavs trying for 1st ever season sweep of SA. 2nd half soon @theeagledallas – 10:45 PM Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Luka debuts his “El Matador” Jordan 11 IE PE pic.twitter.com/GqMrLjA1gb – 10:40 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Luka not the least bit happy about no foul on the last play of the half. By the way, he can get as many technicals as he wants and he won’t be suspended for any games, playoffs or next season. Of course, he’d get ejected with two of them. BTW, Mavs tied with Spurs at 59. – 10:40 PM Jeff McDonald @JMcDonald_SAEN
The Spurs, in a game they would probably be better off not winning, are tied with Dallas at half 59-59. They are probably lucky the NBA rescinded Luka’s 16th technical the other day. He’s got 18 points at intermision. – 10:39 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Good time to remind folks, if Doncic gets a tech tonight it won’t result in a suspension — either in playoffs or next season. When this question came up late last season, an NBA official told me the 16-tech rule stipulates that the suspension happen in the season it occurred. – 10:13 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Luka Doncic spent most of the break between quarters engaging in a calm discussion with ref James Williams. No T called. pic.twitter.com/bw9h473dXO – 10:09 PM Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
1Q: Spurs by 1
Vassell, Keldon 6 pts each | Powell 8 pts
Jones 5 pts | Luka 7 pts
Spurs are winning paint and mid-range
Mavs are winning FT line – 10:06 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
My goodness Luka! That was deep! – 9:48 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
With his heels on the center-court logo, Luka Doncic drills a 3-pointer as the Mavericks take an early 11-6 lead. – 9:47 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
As MVP chant subsides, Luka rules up the crowd. pic.twitter.com/WeNZFwWq8K – 9:41 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
Luka Garza said he experienced it all his rookie season — being a reserve, playing in the G League, starting in the NBA, playing 40 minutes. He thinks his crash course this season will prepare him well for the summer and where he needs to improve. – 9:36 PM Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Luka Garza said he benefited from the opportunity in his rookie season: “In year one, I’ve had it all: I’ve been a rotation guy (in the NBA) and I’ve been in the G League.” – 9:35 PM Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Luka Garza on finishing his rookie season: “It’s insane realizing these last couple of games would be it. I remember Summer League like it was yesterday.” – 9:32 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs starters: Bullock, DFS, Powell, Brunson, Doncic
SA starters: Vassell, Johnson, Poeltl, Primo, Murray
8:40 tip @theeagledallas – 9:05 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jason Kidd was informed that players get a maximum of seven technical fouls in the playoffs before they earn a suspension. Regarding Luka, Kidd said: “You get seven? I’m telling him six.” – 8:41 PM Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Saben Lee, Braxton Key and Luka Garza are starting the second half. Looks like Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart are done tonight – 8:21 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
HALFTIME: 76ers 62, Pistons 60. Casey brought back starters to end the first half and the 15-point gap immediately closed. Curious if we’ll see them to start the second half.
Isaiah Stewart: 10 points, 6 rebounds
Isaiah Livers: 9 points
Killian Hayes: 8 points
Luka Garza: 7p – 8:07 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Jason Kidd was under the impression that players get 6 technicals in the playoffs before getting a suspension, but when told the number actually is 7, Kidd says: “I’m going to tell Luka he only gets 6.” – 7:58 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
A player in the playoffs is suspended for one game after receiving his 7th technical foul. Jason Kidd said he’s going to tell Luka Doncic that he gets 6 technical fouls before he’s suspended. – 7:56 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Embiid isn’t playing tonight. This means that Luka Doncic can win the scoring title … by scoring 167 points for Dallas against San Antonio later tonight.
I say he goes for it. – 5:13 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play today.
That means Joel Embiid will win the NBA’s scoring title … unless something like this happens — he plays today, scores zero points, and Luka Doncic scores 138 points or more.
Hence, I think Joel Embiid has won the scoring title. – 2:10 PM Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Luka Doncic eligible for Mavs-Spurs, NBA rescinds 16th tech
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/13… – 3:32 AM

More on this storyline

Callie Caplan: Jason Kidd on Luka Doncic’s absence tonight vs. Rockets for right ankle soreness: “No long-term concern. Hopefully he’ll be ready to practice tomorrow.” -via Twitter @CallieCaplan / March 23, 2022 Callie Caplan: Mavs say Luka Doncic (right ankle soreness) won’t play tomorrow night vs. Rockets. Alt. text: some strategic rest before a weekend that includes a quick Pat Bev rematch and potential first-round preview vs. Rudy and the Jazz. -via Twitter @CallieCaplan / March 22, 2022 Chris Mannix: Luka Doncic headed off, and that may be it for him today. Looked like he pulled that left hamstring. Tried to play through it, but was clearly in a lot of discomfort. -via Twitter @SIChrisMannix / March 13, 2022