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Luka Doncic remains unlikely to play for the Dallas Mavericks in preseason as they round off their exhibition games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The All-Star guard has missed the previous three games after suffering a right calf injury in training camp two weeks ago.
Doncic practiced for the first time since then on Wednesday, but Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said he's likely sitting out the game against the Bucks. He's likely held out because of precaution and lack of practice leading up to this game.
Nevertheless, according to Sportskeeda's Grant Afseth, Kidd provided a positive update, saying Doncic "did really, really well" in his first practice amid his recovery from the ailment.
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Missing the entire preseason seems the best way forward as the Mavericks hope their star player is ready to go on Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs for the season opener.
The Mavericks have gone 0-3 in the preseason in Doncic's absence, but it shouldn't matter much, considering Kyrie Irving has also played only once in the Oct. 10 game against the Utah Jazz for 17 minutes.
As for Luka Doncic's game conditioning, the Slovenian had another short offseason after making the finals last year and playing for the national team during the Olympic qualifiers. He should be fine in his first game back on Oct. 24.
Mavericks among few teams yet to field their best lineup amid Luka Doncic's injury troubles
Several teams have been able to deploy their regular season rotation in preseason, except the Dallas Mavericks. Luka Doncic's injury absence is partly contributing to it. The Mavericks would have hoped to get a dress rehearsal with their new-look roster, including new additions Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall.
It's more crucial in such cases for teams to have the chance to see what their balance and chemistry could look like after significant changes. Nevertheless, Thompson and Marshall are seemingly good fits on paper, and it doesn't look like they will take time to build chemistry with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who have looked adaptable since last year.
It was one of the keys to their success as they made the NBA Finals against expectations. The two new faces are only expected to bolster their chances of winning it all if they make it that far again.
How to watch Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks preseason game?
TNT will televise the Milwaukee Bucks-Dallas Mavericks preseason showdown on Thursday at American Airlines Center. Local TV operators Bally Sports Wisconsin and Dallas.com will provide coverage in Milwaukee and Dallas, respectively.
NBA League Pass will offer interested viewers a chance to catch live action online. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
Mavericks Fan? Check out the latest Dallas Mavericks depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.
