Luka Doncic upgraded to questionable for Game 3

Tim MacMahon: Luka Doncic is listed as questionable for the first time this series. He was listed as doubtful when he sat out the first two games.
Source: Twitter @espn_macmahon

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Luka is listed as questionable for Game 3 between the #Mavs and Utah Jazz. He answered a variety of questions today when he met with the media for the first time since straining his left calf on April 10 in the regular season finale against the Spurs.
https://t.co/1UscyRHpfV pic.twitter.com/RGui5QT0lD – 7:34 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Luka Doncic on possibly playing in Game 3: “If there’s going to be risk, I don’t think I’m going to play. But like I said, yesterday and today we did some good things. I don’t want to play limited minutes and be nervous. I want to be out there the most time as possible.” pic.twitter.com/7Oq09t85sP – 7:18 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
“I’m going to see how it feels and then talk to the medical staff. At the end of the day if they say there’s no risk and I feel good, I’m going to be ready to go. But if I don’t feel good, then I’m not going to risk it.” — Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/4n1vKp2X0N – 7:16 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Luka Doncic talked to the media today for the 1st time since straining his left calf during the regular season finale on April 10 against the San Antonio Spurs. Luka said he doesn’t know if he’ll be ready to play tomorrow against Utah in Game 3. He is listed as questionable. pic.twitter.com/TM0H3WaqZB – 7:14 PM Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Jason Kidd on Luka Doncic: “Luka is doing Luka. His sprint is different than anyone in the league. That’s the truth. I can’t put a speed on him, or a grade, or a 40 (yard dash) time. He’s doing everything. He’s going in the right direction.” pic.twitter.com/12FTQN9eej – 7:11 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
New @FrontOfficeShow is up! @Trevor_Lane & I were joined by @Eric Pincus to talk Playoffs (including Booker, Simmons and Doncic updates), the 2022 offseason landscape, Lakers and the upcoming immersive session of @SportsBizClass in Las Vegas this summer.
youtu.be/OO7FFFXny8A – 7:02 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic: “It’s the toughest thing ever. … I just miss basketball. I know it’s only been two games, but I miss it so much.”
More on Luka’s hopeful playoff return with quotes from his first interview since the calf strain: dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 5:52 PM Chris Vernon @ChrisVernonShow
the wildest thing about the jazz fans mad at me over strategy ish is that I i’m the one that picked em, and said no chance w/o luka haha. @Kevin O’Connor trick yall, man (russ voice) 😂 – 5:34 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
The Mavs are officially listing Luka Dončić (left calf strain) as questionable for tomorrow’s Game 3 in Utah. – 5:16 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Mavericks Injury Report (as of 4/20)
QUESTIONABLE – Luka Doncic (left calf strain)
OUT – Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery)
OUT – Frank Ntilikina (illness recovery) – 5:07 PM Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Luka Doncic is questionable for Game 3 – 5:00 PM Tim Cato @tim_cato
wrote about some mavericks’ trends this series and how luka’s return would affect them, focusing on these four:
— the tightened rotation
— the 3s they’re creating
— the 3s they’re preventing
— transition success theathletic.com/3259262/ – 3:30 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Doncic “feeling good” but unsure if he will return for Game 3 Thursday nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/20/don… – 2:58 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
Jason Kidd after today’s practice on the possibility of a Luka return in Game 3, “He’s going in the right direction. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. Hopefully, it’s a green light. If it’s not, we’re prepared to go without him.” – 2:58 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Mavs guard Luka Doncic ‘improving a lot,’ uncertain if he will play in Game 3 vs. Jazz dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 2:57 PM Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Players with 35+ points, 10+ rebounds and 9+ assists in a playoff game before turning 25:
Oscar Robertson (4x)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Charles Barkley
Devin Booker
Luka Doncic
Kevin Durant
LeBron James
Nikola Jokic
Isiah Thomas
Brandon Ingram – 2:53 PM Mark Followill @MFollowill
Luka Dončić after practicing today addressed the possibility of playing in Game 3 tomorrow night in Salt Lake City pic.twitter.com/cTpZqgcbTc – 2:51 PM StatMuse @statmuse
You could make two playoff teams with the current injuries.
First team:
— Luka Doncic
— Devin Booker
— Scottie Barnes
— Zion Williamson
— Rob Williams
Second team:
— Jamal Murray
— Lonzo Ball
— Michael Porter Jr
— Ben Simmons
— Clint Capela
Hoping we see these guys soon. pic.twitter.com/JteouEWgNA – 2:31 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
From @Callie Caplan (I just arrived in SLC and about to check in on the Jazz):
Mavs guard Luka Doncic ‘improving a lot,’ uncertain if he will play in Game 3 vs. Jazz dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 2:29 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic and Mavs don’t know if he’ll play tomorrow in Game 3 vs. Jazz, but he does know this: “I’m doing a lot of treatment, man. I’m tired of just laying down and doing treatment.” – 2:21 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jason Kidd on Luka Doncic: “He’s doing the work that the medical staff has asked him to do, and there hasn’t been any setback. He feels great, so I think he just continues to come in with that good attitude that at some point, he’ll get that green light to play.” – 2:18 PM Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Luka Doncic, Zeljko Obradovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kostas Sloukas, Nikos Zisis, Theo Papaloukas and the late great Duda Ivkovic on Kill Bill 🐐
pic.twitter.com/UokRMmrTWL – 2:13 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Mavs coach Jason Kidd
says Luka Doncic playing in Thursday’s Game 3 at Utah is “just a matter of how he feels tomorrow.”
More NBA from me: marcstein.Substack.com – 2:07 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic: “Today and yesterday I did a little bit. We shouldn’t rush anything, but step by step, I think I’m improving a lot, and I’m getting better.” – 2:05 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Luka speaking to the media today. Still nothing definitive on his availability for tomorrow. 8:10 tip @theeagledallas – 1:59 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Luka says he’s feeling good. But he also said as long as there’s no chance of worse injury, he’ll be out there. – 1:58 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Luka Doncic says he’s “feeling good” but isn’t yet certain if he will play in Game 3 tomorrow. – 1:57 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Luka Doncic says he doesn’t know yet if he is playing in Thursday’s Game 3 at Utah.
More series coverage from me via @BallySportsSW
More NBA from me: marcstein.Substack.com – 1:55 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic is shooting with Mavs as they finish practice with group 3-point competitions.
He looks more active and agile than in some of his recent shooting regimens. pic.twitter.com/RnVwkbbBCP – 1:46 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Luka Doncic getting some shots up on the move as media is let in at the end of Mavs’ practice: pic.twitter.com/MCiVCJecUp – 1:42 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Mavericks plan increased practice activity today for Luka Dončić (left calf strain) as they seek to pinpoint his return in the Utah series, sources say.
As we reported pregame Monday on @BallySportsSW, Dončić is on a course to play in this series … question remains when. – 10:57 AM Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
In the last 10 days: Luka injured, Paul George gets COVID, Capela injured, Scottie Barnes injured, now Booker injured. A few more in there too, but yeah… lame. – 12:27 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Optimism Luka Doncic will return for Mavericks-Jazz Game 3 or Game 4 nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/19/rep… – 6:31 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
ESPN story on Luka Doncic’s progress in recovery from a strained left calf and “uncertain” possibility of a Game 3 return: espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 6:04 PM

More on this storyline

Brad Townsend: Quin Snyder just now on Doncic: “We’ve been conscious that he’s going to come back at some point of the series. It might not be (Game 3), we just don’t know. But we’ve been conscious of that.” -via Twitter @townbrad / April 20, 2022 Jordan Schultz: #Mavs superstar Luka Doncic is “making progress, but not likely to play” Game 3 versus the #Jazz, per source. -via Twitter @Schultz_Report / April 20, 2022 Tim MacMahon: Luka Doncic: “I don’t know if I’m going to be 100 percent. I think that’s tough right now. But if I’m ready and there’s no risk of injury, I’ll be out there.” -via Twitter @espn_macmahon / April 20, 2022