Is Luka Doncic playing tonight against Atlanta Hawks? Latest on Mavericks superstar's status (April 4)

Dallas Mavericks standout guard Luka Doncic is listed as available for the coming matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday for the second and final matchup of their season series.

Before facing a defeat on the road against Golden State on Tuesday night, Dallas had been on an impressive streak, securing victories in seven consecutive games and 11 out of their last 12. With a season record of 45-30, the Mavericks head into Thursday night's matchup sharing the top spot in the Southwest Division with the Pelicans.

In the matchup, Dallas managed to shoot 43.8% from the field, connecting on 15 of 40 attempts from beyond the arc. However, they fell short in the rebounding department, trailing 52-42. Despite the loss, Luka Doncic showcased his versatility, leading the Mavericks with an impressive stat line of 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists.

What happened to Luka Doncic?

Luka Doncic has been dealing with left Achilles soreness over the past four games. Despite this, he has been cleared to play at game time for each of those contests.

The demanding task of leading the offense seems to have had its toll on the Mavericks' standout player. This became apparent when he suffered a hamstring injury during their second face-off with the Golden State Warriors in a 109-99 victory on March 13.

The All-Star left for the locker room during the fourth quarter, and it was subsequently confirmed that he would not be returning to the court, marking the first night of the back-to-back set. As a result, he also sat out the following game against the OKC Thunder.

Throughout the season, Doncic has faced a series of injury challenges. Initially sidelined due to an ankle sprain, his return was unfortunately met with another setback when he broke his nose against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 5.

Just one week later, in a cross-conference clash against the Washington Wizards, Doncic encountered another injury setback. He suffered a facial injury from an elbow, leading to prompt evaluation.

Luka Doncic stats vs. Atlanta Hawks?

The five-time All-Star has appeared in nine games against the Atlanta Hawks, going 5-4. He has averaged 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists with 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks on 46.9% shooting from the field, including 32.9% from the 3-point line and 84.7% from the free-throw line.

In their last matchup, Luka Doncic had a career-high score of 73 points on 75.8% shooting from the field, including eight 3-pointers on 13 attempts at 61.5% from beyond the arc.