Is Luka Doncic playing tonight against the Houston Rockets? | 2021-22 NBA season
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks will host the bottom-table Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center on Wednesday. The two teams are facing off for the fourth and final time this season, with the Mavericks having won all three previous encounters.
The Houston Rockets have no legitimate reason to win any game right now, with the franchise looking to secure a good pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. But if Houston somehow manages to grab a victory to boost their morale, the Mavericks will fall down the standings.
Dallas is 5th in the Western Conference right now, just one game behind the 4th-seeded Utah Jazz and 1.5 games ahead of the 6th-seeded Denver Nuggets. The Mavs cannot afford to lose random games in the final stretch of the season or else they will find themselves struggling to maintain position.
Mavericks are only the No. 5 seed in the West, but this is intriguing. https://t.co/IpkJyBkUNG
Doncic is the most heavily utilized player in the NBA with a usage rate of over 35%. He averages over 70 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions and is absolutely crucial to the Mavericks' offense. He is the focal point of the majority of their plays and naturally Mavs fans are curious to know the status of their talismanic point guard.
What is Luka Doncic's status for tonight's game against Houston Rockets?
Luka Doncic has officially been ruled out of the game against the Houston Rockets due to a sore right ankle. He has missed 16 games this season but has featured in the team's last eight outings. He is averaging 27.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game this season while shooting on 45/34/73 splits.
Mavericks rule out Luka Doncic, Davis Bertans for Wednesday’s game vs. Rockets buff.ly/3D0ZXvY
He joins teammates Davis Bertans, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Theo Pinson on the sidelines. Hardaway Jr. and Pinson have suffered serious long-term injuries and are out without a timeline for a return while Bertans is out due to a sore knee.
Backup point guard Spencer Dinwiddie will need to step up in Doncic's absence and he has delivered consistently so far.
Spencer Dinwiddie has made the Mavericks a significantly deeper team. Against the Timberwolves, all of these possessions led to points from him without Luka Doncic on the floor. https://t.co/Pk1HHRiQ3h
When will Luka Doncic return?
Doncic will likely play in their next game against the 7th-placed Minnesota Timberwolves which is a marquee matchup. The Mavericks enjoy the 3rd-easiest schedule remaining in the league, and their upcoming slate of games include just three playoff teams - Milwaukee, Cleveland and Utah.