DALLAS — Luka Doncic was not listed on the Dallas Mavericks' injury report for Game 6 after previously being listed as probable for Game 5 due to a right knee sprain. Doncic has also been battling an illness. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd provided a brief, yet encouraging Doncic injury update before Game 6.

“Great, he feels good,” Kidd said.

Kidd's update and the fact that Doncic was not listed on the injury report are both promising signs to say the least. Doncic probably would have played even if he was listed as questionable or probable, but it is clear that Luka is trending in a positive direction.

Now he will look to lead the Mavericks to a series-clinching victory on Friday night.

Luka Doncic trending in positive direction

Doncic performed well in Game 5 despite dealing with the aforementioned knee injury and illness. He scored 35 points to go along with 10 assists and seven rebounds in Dallas' 123-93 victory. It was an important win to say the least, as the Mavs took a 3-2 series lead.

There was initial concern about how the injury would impact Doncic moving forward. He silenced any doubters with his superb effort in the win on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if he can continue trending in a positive direction on Friday.

A Mavericks' win would book their ticket to the second-round. The Oklahoma City Thunder are awaiting the winner of the series. Oklahoma City features a talented, albeit fairly inexperienced roster. Nevertheless, the Thunder will present a challenge for whoever their opponent is.

For now, the Mavs are focused on taking care of business against the Clippers. Luka Doncic knows Dallas must stay focused in order to win the series.

The Clippers will not go down without a fight. Paul George and James Harden will do everything they can to keep their team alive. Game 6 projects to be a competitive affair without question.

Regardless of the outcome of Game 6, it is encouraging to see Luka Doncic continue to take steps in the right direction as far as his health is concerned. We will continue to monitor and provide updates on Doncic's status as they are made available.