Is Luka Doncic playing vs Memphis Grizzlies? Exploring 5x All-Star's status for Dallas' preseason opener (Oct. 7)
Luka Doncic has been ruled out for the Dallas Mavericks’ preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Doncic suffered left calf tightness after he was inadvertently kicked there during a private workout on Sept. 30. He is expected to miss more than one preseason game.
However, as per ESPN’s Tim MacMohan, Doncic should be good to go when the Mavericks open their regular season against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24.
Besides Luka Doncic, the Mavs could also be without Kyrie Irving, Kessler Edwards and Maxi Kleber. Dante Exum has been ruled out with a right wrist injury. Irving, who underwent surgery on his left hand over the offseason, is expected to get some additional rest to rehabilitate.
How did Luka Doncic perform in 2023-24?
Luka Doncic had a great last season as he led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals, where they lost 4-1 to the Boston Celtics. While failing at the final hurdle must have hurt, Dallas fans must be happy with the progress made by the team. It developed a solid defensive identity, and the decision to pair Irving alongside Doncic worked wonders.
Doncic led the league in scoring last season after averaging 33.9 points per game. He also recorded 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 70 games.
While Doncic struggled to efficiently shoot the ball to start the playoffs, he ended the postseason averaging 28.9 points on 44.6% shooting. He struggled to convert from the deep, as he shot just 32.2% while averaging 9.6 shot attempts across 22 games. He averaged 9.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists in the playoffs.
In the finals series against Boston, Doncic averaged 29.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. There was an obvious drop in his numbers as he and Irving were double-teamed most of the time. The Mavericks struggled as a team in converting 3s despite getting decent looks. This need of the team was addressed by acquiring Klay Thompson in free agency.
Overall, Luka Doncic had a great year as he made his fifth All-Star team, fifth All-NBA first team and finished third in MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Where and how to watch Dallas Mavericks take on Memphis Grizzlies?
The Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 7, at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The game will be broadcast locally on Mavs.com. Fans can also stream it live on NBA League Pass.