Bad news in Dallas that, if confirmed, could be the worst possible. In the list of available players for the game this morning (3:30), the third in the series against the Los Angeles Cippers, Luka Doncic appears as “questionable.” In other words, his presence on the track is doubtful. The reason, the cervical strain suffered in the last confrontation between both franchises, which ended with the victory for the Angelenos and the corresponding 2-1 in the series. Before the press, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has been optimistic, although he has not wanted to take anything for granted. “Questionable, generally speaking, and from what I’ve seen this year on other teams and ours, it means he’s more likely to play than the opposite. I think he probably will be, and I hope he’s better. “, has declared. To which he added: “But we’ll see how it feels.”.
Before the game, then, all eyes will be on the Slovenian, who was being the most determining factor in the series. He is averaging 38 points, 8.7 rebounds, 9 assists and, until the last game, he had been an indecipherable force for Tyronn Luee, who tried everything and nothing worked. Dallas, under the direction of Doncic, is being superior in practically every facet, with an implausible exterior success and a core of support for the star that, except in the last duel, had been unbeatable. Luka, in his particular success, is intractable from all ranges (48.1% in field shots and 45.9% in the triple), less from the free throw line, with a poor 48.1%. Surely, his only pending subject in the tie, where he has done everything and very well, and where he hopes to continue doing it. After Friday’s game, he himself took it upon himself to make a call for optimism: “It’s weird. A massage, a little ice and I hope that’s enough.”, He said. During the game, he began to feel pain around his neck, which then spread to his left arm.
Beyond the pain generated by the physical problem, the meeting on Friday was also the first in which he was seen signs of tiredness and fatigue. The point guard has averaged 34.3 minutes in the regular season and is currently at 39.1 during the series. In defeat, moreover, with extra effort at the worst moment: theirs were 44 points and only 40 among the next three scorers of the team, Jalen Brunson (14), Maxi Kleber (14) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (12), who he had been a luxury squire in the other two victories, with 21 and 28 points respectively. After an explosive start, with 30-11 in the electronic, Rick Carlisle decided to rest the Slovenian. Immediately, a partial 4-14 followed that changed the dynamics of the game completely. Now, available or not, but fatigued and sore nonetheless, Luka will need more help than ever. Also to Kristaps Porzingis, who had not left bad records in the first duels, but who came out strongly marked in the last one, in which he only managed 9 points and 3 rebounds.
In the middle of all this, there are also the ghosts, those that first flew over the heads of the Kawhi, George and company and that now could make an appearance in the Texans. And it is that, in the confrontation of the past playoffs, Luka Doncic’s physical problems also noticeably clipped the wings of a heroism that, then, seemed even more unlikely than now. With a 2-0 against, the Mavs they reached the equalizer with a lame Doncic, with a sprained left ankle, but who ended up playing every game in the series and with impressive averages: 31 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists. Now, the story has the opposite sense, but a common denominator. Dallas, with its franchise player far from physical optimum, will have to protect an advantage that was 2-0 and that, now, is already 2-1, with some Clippers who are going to more and who believe in the comeback. After losing in the second round, Lue assured that the situation was the same as at the beginning of the series (“win four games”) and Paul George did not hesitate to assert that “they are not worried”. In the room, if the neck allows it, Luka will try to unreason them.
