Why is Luka Doncic not playing tonight? Mavericks star's absence against OKC Thunder explored

This season, Luka Doncic is yet to miss a game for the Dallas Mavericks. However, that streak is expected to come to an end on Sunday against the first-place OKC Thunder.

According to Sportskeeda's Grant Afseth, Doncic has been ruled out for this Western Conference showdown, as the five-time All-Star is sidelined due to right knee contusion.

Sunday is the second night of a back-to-back for the Mavericks, who squared off against the San Antonio Spurs Saturday, winning in convincing fashion. Luka Doncic logged 28 minutes for the Mavs against the Spurs, his lowest amount of minutes played in a game this season. While on the court, he notched up 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in the 17-point victory.

As he kicks off his seventh season in the league, Doncic remains one of the game's top all-around talents, averaing 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists.

With Doncic out of the lineup, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson will have to lead the charge for Dallas. They're going to have their hands full on Sunday, as the Thunder enter the matchup with an 11-2 record. Even though they're dealing with a lot of injuries, OKC has won four of its last five games.

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Luka Doncic admitted he isn't 100% at the moment

Based on his comments, it's not surprising to see Luka Doncic get ruled out for Sunday's game. Following the Mavericks' win over the Spurs, the star guard admitted that he isn't 100% physically right now.

"A little bit less (than 100%)," Doncic said. "It's probably a matter of time, just not a lot of time to rest. But I'll get better for sure I promise."

As a very high-usage player, Luka Doncic's body goes through a lot of wear and tear during the regular season. He has shown that he's capable of taking the floor when dealing with nagging injuries, but the Mavs seem to be weighing on the side of caution.

Between it being the early weeks of the season and the second leg of a back-to-back, Dallas is smart to be careful with its star player. After reaching the NBA Finals last season, they have similar aspirations this year. With that in mind, overexerting Doncic now could greatly impact their chances of contending down the line.

Being without Doncic in a matchup like this is a tough blow for the Mavericks, but they have the talent to stay competitive.