“He could be back as soon as their next game”: Prominent NBA reporter says Luka Doncic could be back very soon as the Mavericks continue playoff push

As the regular season comes to a close, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic continues to battle injury. After being sidelined at the beginning of February, the All-Star point guard is once again day-to-day.

During the Mavericks' recent matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, Doncic suffered a thigh strain while driving through the lane. He exited that game early and did not suit up for Dallas' next game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

While on "FanDuel TV," Shams Charania of The Athletic gave the latest updates regarding this injury. The Mavericks don't think the injury is serious and expect to have him back in the lineup later this week.

"He's going to be day-to-day with this thigh injury. He's going to miss his second-straight game tonight, but I'm told he could be back as soon as their next game... Right now the Mavericks hope this is a more day-to-day injury for Luka Doncic."

While on the court, Luka Doncic has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA this season. The 24-year-old is currently posting averages of 33.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists.

The Dallas Mavericks should take their time with Luka Doncic moving forward

Even if the injury is not that serious, the Dallas Mavericks should attempt to give Luka Doncic as much rest as possible. If they want any shot at competing in the postseason, he will have to be at 100% physically.

Earlier in the year, the Mavericks were unable to win games when Doncic was out of the lineup. However, that is no longer the case. With newly acquired Kyrie Irving in the lineup, Dallas has another star who can lead the charge on any given night. This gives the team some breathing room in regard to getting their top players to to rest down the stretch.

Following their matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, the Mavericks are set to take on the San Antonio Spurs. Seeing that they aren't looking to compete right now, Dallas should consider sitting with Doncic again just to be safe. That opens the door for him to make his return against the LA Lakers on Friday.

Situations like this are a tough road to navigate, but a team like Dallas should weigh on the side of caution. Even with them sitting in eighth place right now, pushing Doncic too much this late could be detrimental to their playoff hopes.