Mavericks’ Luka Doncic Has MRI, Out Vs. Warriors; Christian Wood Eyeing Return

Luka Doncic will miss the Dallas Mavericks’ game with the Golden State Warriors Saturday. He did not travel with the team to San Francisco as he recovers from a right heel contusion, which forced him from Thursday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

This is the second injury in a week that has caused Doncic to miss a game. He suffered a left ankle sprain a week to the day before sustaining the heel contusion. There’s no timetable for his return yet, but the injury required him to get an MRI.

“It’s too soon today to give an update on [when Doncic will return,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said during a Friday press conference. “As we get the MRI, I think we’ll be able to give an update on when both of them will come back.”

Kidd was also addressing the injury to Davis Bertans. He sustained a left calf strain against the Pelicans and, like Doncic, underwent an MRI and did not travel with the team.

Doncic’s injury is the most concerning for the Mavericks, given his overall contributions to the team. Dallas has yet to win a game in which he has sat. However, the injury to Bertans as well as Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood, who have been out for weeks, put the team in a challenging situation.

Wood may be returning to action soon, though. He’s been out with a left thumb fracture and won’t play against the Warriors, but he traveled with the team to San Francisco. He’s been participating in five-on-five drills in practice, and it looks like he could suit up sometime in the next few days.

“I’m going to shoot for Utah or the next game,” Wood said about when he hopes to return.

Dallas will play the Warriors, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings twice on their current road trip. Wood’s scoring, he’s averaging 18.4 points this season, should be a welcome return for a team that struggles on offense when Doncic doesn’t play.

The Mavericks are 0-6 when Doncic is out and average 106.3 points in those games. Dallas averages 112.3 points per game this season.

Against the Warriors—and however long Doncic sits—the Mavericks will have to stay connected and stay together, Kidd says. He’s happy with the looks the team is getting without its floor general, but they will have to scrap and compete to find a way to win.

“You can’t fill Luka’s shoes,” Kidd said. “Other guys are going to have to step up. Other guys are going to get minutes. … It’s all hands on deck. It’s not an easy road trip, even if we had Luka. [Saturday] starts at Golden State, and we’ll see how it goes.”