As the Dallas Mavericks wait to learn how long they will be without Luka Doncic due to his recent left calf injury, they now have another example of how to manage without their star player.
Doncic left the game in the second quarter of a 105-99 loss to Minnesota on Christmas Day after injuring his calf. The Mavericks were down by 28 points late in the third quarter but nearly made a comeback.
Kyrie Irving had a chance to put Dallas ahead with a 3-point attempt in the final minute, but his shot missed, and so did the rally.
“It’s kind of deflating,” said Klay Thompson, who passed Reggie Miller for fifth on the career 3-point list during the comeback attempt. “We have such a deep roster, and that’s why we can withstand this time without him. We obviously are not the same without Luka in the lineup. We are going to do everything we can to go on a run here without him.”
Dallas coach Jason Kidd had no new information on Doncic after the game.
Doncic had been playing on offense when he suddenly stopped, reached for his lower legs, and stayed on the court until the Mavs called a timeout. He limped off with 2:31 left in the first half.
It was just the second game back for Doncic after missing two games with a left heel contusion. The 25-year-old has had issues with his left calf before, missing part or all of the past two preseasons and the first three games of the 2022 playoffs.
Doncic scored 14 points in 16 minutes against the Timberwolves and is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game. He has missed eight games this season, including five with a right wrist sprain. Despite this, Dallas is 6-2 without him.
Though the Mavs made a strong comeback without Doncic, they couldn’t secure the win.
“I think this is a group that can win,” Kidd said. “They believe that. And they’ve shown that. The record speaks for itself. But we also need him. He’s just been hit with some injuries here of late. Hopefully, this one isn’t that serious. But we do need him if we want to win a championship.”
Irving scored 39 points in the loss, while Thompson contributed 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting from three. Thompson now has 2,562 career 3-pointers, surpassing Miller’s 2,560.
Irving is averaging 24 points in the games without Doncic. Both players also missed a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last week.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who returned to the Mavericks this offseason and has been crucial when Doncic is out, struggled against the Timberwolves, missing all seven of his shots and finishing with just two points.
With Doncic likely out for a few more games, the Mavericks need to find a rhythm and rely more on their supporting players.
“Just playing selfless basketball,” said Thompson, who is in his first season with the Mavericks after winning four championships with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State. “Realize Kyrie’s going to take us home, he’s our closer.
But for everybody else on the team, it’s just about getting in good rhythm and trusting one another and playing hard, especially defensively. He’s obviously our best player, but we’ve got to be tested, and this is a good test ahead.”
