Luka Doncic ruled out for Knicks-Mavericks clash
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The Dallas Mavericks have been without superstar point guard Luka Doncic for their last three games, and that streak will continue against the New York Knicks. A right wrist sprain will keep Doncic out of Wednesday night’s contest, per the NBA’s injury report.
The Mavs are 3-1 in games without Doncic and 7-7 with him in the lineup. Before the last time he played, a 132-91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, a knee contusion had Doncic listed as questionable for that contest. But something unknown happened to his wrist in that game that has kept him out since.
"I don’t know (how the wrist injury occurred) honestly," Doncic said. "Started feeling it in the first quarter… But nothing serious."
There’s no timetable for Doncic’s return.
Evaluating the Mavericks’ early 2024-25 stretch
In Brett Siegel’s most recent NBA Power Rankings, he has Dallas climbing three spots to No. 10.
“Dominance over the Pelicans and Nuggets is the only reason why the Dallas Mavericks are moving back into the top 10 of the NBA power rankings. Other than that, this team is the biggest mystery in the Western Conference because of how inconsistent they are on offense. Klay Thompson has gone cold from deep, shooting just 34.5 percent from the perimeter, and Kyrie Irving has struggled a bit with his shot in recent games. Now with Luka Doncic out due to a wrist injury, even more pressure is on this team when it comes to scoring.
“The good news for Dallas is that PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, and the big-man tandem of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have helped set the tone for this group. Lively is really beginning to come into his own as one of the best finishing and rim-protecting big men in the league, as he is shooting 72.9 percent from the floor over his last seven games. He has also blocked 15 shots in this span.”
The West is much more of a logjam than the East. Cleveland and Boston are way out front in the standings. In the West, only four games separate the leading 13-4 Oklahoma City Thunder and the No. 10 seed 9-8 San Antonio Spurs. That parity could keep the Western Conference sharp or it could wear down the teams with stiff competition every night. The outcome remains to be seen this early in the season.
With Doncic sidelined, the Mavs are getting good minutes out of Kyrie Irving, of course. However, in Dallas’ most recent win over the Atlanta Hawks, Marshall, Jaden Hardy and Spencer Dinwiddie all contributed 20 or more points. Hardy, a 22-year-old second-year player, exploded for his biggest game with season-highs across the board.
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