Doncic feeling no pain, questionable for Game 4

SALT LAKE CITY — Dallas Mavericks celebrity Luka Doncic, who has but to play within the Western Convention first-round collection towards the Utah Jazz attributable to a strained left calf, is listed as questionable for Saturday’s Sport 4.

Doncic has been doing full-speed basketball exercise since Tuesday and performed 5-on-5 on Thursday and Friday. He stated he isn’t experiencing any ache or discomfort in his calf.

“Nothing unhealthy — simply higher day-after-day, extra explosive, every thing,” Doncic stated.

The Mavs have seized a 2-1 collection lead whereas Doncic recovers. Guard Jalen Brunson, Dallas’ major ballhandler with out Doncic, has starred within the collection, averaging 32.0 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per sport whereas taking pictures 50.7% from the ground and 41.2% from 3-point vary.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd was adamant, nevertheless, that the Mavs’ edge within the collection “doesn’t have any impact” on the choice about Doncic’s return. The Mavs have caught to their plan of being affected person with Doncic’s restoration course of as a result of they don’t need to danger him aggravating the harm and probably being sidelined for the rest of the playoffs.

“I really feel like I can play each sport, however the danger is an excessive amount of, in order that’s why I did not [in Game 3],” Doncic stated.

The typical absence attributable to calf strains for NBA gamers this season has been 16 days, in line with data compiled by InStreetClothes.com. Mavs reserve guard Frank Ntilikina returned from a calf pressure in 12 days earlier this season. Sport 4 might be 13 days after Doncic was injured.

“Optimistic? Uh, that is a great phrase,” Kidd stated earlier than Friday’s observe relating to Doncic’s Sport 4 standing. “I feel once you take a look at what he is accomplished up till this level, he is moving into the suitable path. He is listening to the medical [staff], he is doing all of the work, there hasn’t been any setbacks.

“We’ll see how he feels right now. It is a fast flip. We play tomorrow afternoon, so we’ll see how a lot he can do right now. If the workload is the place he does every thing, we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”