On Wednesday night the Los Angeles Clippers will host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of their NBA playoff series. Both teams' best players, Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard, are dealing with injury trouble.
Leonard missed Game 4 with right knee inflammation. He has been limited when on the floor in the series.
Doncic, who has a sprained right knee, has appeared in every game of the series. Luka has struggled with his shot, however. Still, he has made a big impact overall.
Leonard is the only Clippers player listed on the injury report. For the Mavericks, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Olivier-Maxence Prosper have been ruled out with ankle injuries.
So is Luka Doncic playing tonight vs. the Clippers in Game 5?
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Luka Doncic's Game 5 injury status vs. Clippers
Doncic is listed as probable due to the aforementioned right knee sprain, per the NBA injury report. But, Doncic admitted he probably wouldn't be playing if it were a regular season contest, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
‘Luka Doncic says his sprained right knee is “not great, but it is what it is.” Would he be playing if this was the regular season? “Probably not.”'
Doncic also said he has been congested lately but appears ready for the game, per MacMahon: “I’m ready for this game. I’m fine.”
The fact that Doncic is probable is a good sign. Luka was questionable heading into Game 4. He ended up playing and recorded a 29-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. However, Doncic converted on just one of his nine three-point attempts.
After the Mavericks lost Game 4 116-111, Luka said he felt like he let Kyrie Irving down. Kyrie and the Mavs expressed confidence in Doncic, though.
Luka Doncic is an MVP candidate. He is one of the best players in the NBA. The belief is that he will have a major impact moving forward in this series. This injury situation will be worth monitoring, however.
So far in the series, Doncic is averaging 29 points per game on 38.6 percent field goal and 26.5 percent three-point shooting, per StatMuse. He's still finding ways to score despite the frustrations with his shot.
Luka's defensive effort has been a subject of discussion as well. He performed especially well on defense early in the series. And of course, Doncic is helping out in other facets of the Mavericks' attack. Luka is averaging 9.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per outing.
It goes without saying, but Game 5 holds no shortage of importance. The Mavericks would love nothing more than to head back to Dallas for Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead. If the Clippers win on Wednesday, though, then Game 6 becomes a win-or-go-home for the Mavs.
It should be noted that Daniel Gafford was not listed on the injury report. Gafford dealt with injury trouble early in the series, but he is expected to be ready to go. James Harden consistently found success in the paint in Game 4, so Gafford and Dereck Lively II's interior presences will be of the utmost importance in Game 5.
When it comes to the question of if Luka Doncic is playing in Game 5 vs. the Clippers, the answer is currently yes.
Follow Us
Subscribe