Is Luka Doncic playing tonight against the Charlotte Hornets? | 2021-22 NBA Preseason

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks against the LA Clippers in the 2021 NBA playoffs
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks against the LA Clippers in the 2021 NBA playoffs

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks take on the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center for their third preseason game of the 2021-22 NBA campaign. They have won both their matchups so far - against the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers.

Doncic dropped a team-high 19 points against the Jazz in just 16 minutes on 8-10 shooting along with six rebounds, five assists and a steal.

He followed it up with 14 points in 18 minutes against the Clippers along with eight rebounds, nine assists and a steal. The Dallas Mavericks now have two more games on the road for their preseason schedule - at Charlotte and at Milwaukee.

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks enter another year with playoff intentions, but their offseason was uninspiring, to say the least.

The front office made no major moves and Doncic will have to carry the team's offensive burden on a nightly basis. That's one reason why most analysts believe Luka Doncic might lead the league in scoring in the 2021-22 NBA season.

What is Luka Doncic's status for tonight's game against Charlotte Hornets?

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks in a preseason game against the Utah Jazz
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks in a preseason game against the Utah Jazz

Luka Doncic is not officially on the injury report for the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets. But Doncic played limited minutes in his first two preseason games. Despite playing fewer minutes, the youngster produced great numbers.

Given these are meaningless matchups that don't count towards team wins, it is quite possible that new head coach Jason Kidd sits Doncic out for at least one of the final two games to rest him.

The only players ruled out of the game are Tyrell Terry and Reggie Bullock.

Luka Doncic is arguably the biggest young sensation in the NBA right now. Many analysts are ready to declare the 22-year-old the next face of the league after LeBron James and Stephen Curry's days are over.

Having broken many NBA records already, many expect Doncic to end his career with multiple MVP honors and accolades.

The NBA's 2021 Annual GM Survey showed much love to Luka Doncic. He was voted the third-best point guard and shooting guard in the league and received the second-highest votes for the 2022 MVP prediction.

GMs were asked, "If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the NBA, who would it be?", and the Slovenian received the most votes.

He also placed in the top 5 in votes received in 'Highest Basketball IQ', 'Best Passer' and 'Most Versatile' among others.

Luka Doncic is the focal point of the Dallas Mavericks' offense and the new coach needs him on the floor the most to figure out the right rotations and strategies. Hence, Doncic might play after all, albeit in limited minutes.


Also Read: What is Luka Doncic Net Worth in 2021?

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Edited by Arjun Panchadar