The Dallas Mavericks won their last game of the regular season on Sunday night, as they took down the San Antonio Spurs, 130-120.
It was another great night for the Mavericks, who are entering the playoffs as the fourth team in the West.
However, the game may have resulted in them possibly losing their most important player.
Jazz C Rudy Gobert missed three weeks this season with a mild calf strain. That’s not to say that Luka Doncic will need that much time — and Gobert likely would have returned soon had it been the playoffs — but it’s an example of the recovery timetable from a similar injury.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 11, 2022
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic suffered a left calf strain in the third quarter of the game and had to leave for the locker room.
The team didn’t have much of an update on Monday morning, but this injury is the same type that kept Jazz center Rudy Gobert off of the court for three weeks.
Is that what Mavericks fans should expect for Doncic too?
If so, what does this mean for the team’s hopes in the playoffs?
Initial Optimism
It is being reported that the team has initial optimism that Doncic didn’t suffer a significant injury.
That means that hopefully, he can be back sooner rather than later.
On average, calf strains keep players on the bench for about two weeks.
The first game of the playoffs for the Mavericks is Saturday against the Utah Jazz.
Dallas can still win without Doncic on their side but it’ll be much, much harder.
Doncic is the hardest working player on the roster – and that is partly to blame for his injury.
The superstar pushes himself all season long and plays in nearly every game and there is a chance that the intense schedule has led to this point.
Hopefully, Doncic is able to come back at the start of the playoffs and is feeling healthy and fine.
And hopefully, the team changes things next season and gives Doncic more of a break so he is able to stay healthier for the entire year.
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