Luka Doncic Injury Update: Latest on Mavericks' MVP frontrunner's status against Denver Nuggets (March 17)

Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic is available to play the highly anticipated matchup against the defending champs, the Denver Nuggets, on Sunday.

Doncic was sidelined during Thursday's match, a 126-119 defeat against the OKC Thunder, owing to discomfort stemming from his left hamstring. His participation in the forthcoming game against the Nuggets is deemed questionable, although he engaged in practice on Saturday.

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Luka Doncic injury update

Following Tuesday's 109-99 triumph over the Golden State Warriors, Doncic underwent an MRI examination which yielded 'clean' results.

Despite not accompanying the team to Oklahoma City, he underwent a re-evaluation on Saturday, signaling a promising development in his injury status, notably evidenced by his participation in practice.

Following their encounter with the Thunder, Dante Exum and Josh Green have been newly listed on the injury report due to injuries sustained during the game.

Exum is currently nursing a right plantar fascia sprain, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming match against the Nuggets. Meanwhile, Green, who suffered a sprained right ankle, has been officially ruled out from participating.

Should either Doncic or Exum be unavailable for the Nuggets matchup, attention may turn to Jaden Hardy as a potential candidate for an expanded role.

Hardy saw increased playing time during Doncic's absence against the Thunder, showcasing his potential contribution. However, if Doncic returns to the lineup, it may limit the available opportunities in the backcourt rotation for Hardy.

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What happened to Luka Doncic?

The arduous task of spearheading the offense appears to have taken a toll on Maverick superstar, as evidenced by a hamstring injury sustained during the game against the Golden State Warriors.

The All-Star was compelled to exit to the locker room during the fourth quarter, with subsequent confirmation from the team that he would not return to the court.

Despite his abbreviated playing time of 30 minutes, Luka Magic managed to contribute 21 points, three rebounds and nine assists. His shooting performance, however, was somewhat hindered, as he went 7 of 18 from the field and 1 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Throughout the season, Doncic has encountered a series of unfortunate injuries. Initially sidelined due to an ankle sprain, his return was met with another setback when he broke his nose during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 5th.

Merely a week later, in a matchup against the Washington Wizards, Doncic faced yet another injury blow, sustaining a facial injury from an elbow, prompting immediate evaluation in the locker room.

In another encounter against the Sixers on March 3rd, Doncic endured adversity after an on-court incident. Despite evident discomfort, he showcased remarkable resilience by completing the game, albeit exacerbating his ankle injury in the process.