Having lost three games in a row, the Dallas Mavericks are once again beleaguered under the cloud of losses. The Mavs have had an inconsistent season till now and the striking reason behind their misery is Luka Doncic's injury. The star guard has faced continuous injury issues from the onset of the season and is currently nursing the Calf strain, he suffered on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Doncic has already missed 20 games in the season, so will the Mavericks' showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder will go down as his 21st absence from the season?
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Luka Doncic Injury Report
Luka Doncic is still recovering from the calf injury and hence will remain out from tonight's matchup. Hence, it will once again be a daunting challenge for Jason Kidd as Dallas as statistics show that Dallas has lost eight out of the 11 matches that have played without Luka Magic. Moreover, what worsens the headache for the Mavericks' coach is that the other prominent guard, Kyrie Irving, has also been listed as "questionable" in the injury report released ahead of the match.
Mavericks will somehow have to endure this phase till the middle of February, as Luka Doncic is speculated to return around that time. But until then they have to find a way to put the break on incurring loss after loss. Being the playmaker and the prolific scorer for the team, Doncic's absence was certain to be felt. The 5-time NBA All-Star averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game, before being hit by the injury layoff.
Mavs Will Have to Show Defiance
Without Doncic and Irving (potentially), it would be a herculean task for the Mavericks to get the better of the Thunder, as they have been completely dominant till now in the season. With 34-6, they are sitting pretty at the top of the Western Conference table. Nevertheless, the Mavericks have displayed signs of fortitude even in adversity and could stun Oklahoma tonight at home. Thus, who will come out on top today, will it be the Western Conference defending champions or the current league leaders of the division?