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In the weeks leading up to the 2024-25 NBA season, Luka Dončić suffered a left calf contusion, but that injury didn’t stop him from taking the court for the Dallas Mavericks’ season opener.
Now 14 games into the year, Dončić will sit out for the first time on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a right knee contusion, the team announced on social media before the game.
Dončić admitted after Saturday’s win over the San Antonio Spurs he is playing at less than 100 percent, but “there’s not a lot of time to rest” with the season underway.
Kevin Gray Jr. @KevinGraySports
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic when asked admits he’s less than 100% healthy right now after the Spurs win saying:
“A little bit less….It’s a matter of time, just there’s not a lot of time to rest. But I’ll get better for sure. I promise.” #MFFL
(????: @dallasmavs) pic.twitter.com/uV26EUX4Rx
The good news is Dončić didn’t make it seem like he’s concerned about anything, but it is noticeable that he’s not been as efficient scoring this season.
Dončić had an MVP-caliber season a year ago, averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds per game while leading Dallas to a 50-32 record. He continued his strong play in the postseason as he put up 28.9 points, 8.1 assists and 9.5 rebounds as the Mavs reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011.
Now in Year 8, Dončić is looking to take home the coveted award for the first time. The 25-year-old is averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game, but he has the lowest field-goal percentage (42.5) and third-lowest three-point percentage (32.1) of his career in 13 starts.
The Mavs snapped their four-game losing streak with a 110-93 win over the Spurs, but they are just 6-7 overall this season entering Sunday’s game against the 11-2 Thunder.
