During a moment in the game against LA Clippers, Luka Dončić took a hard hit on his left thumb against James Harden’s knee. He ran to the locker room once he checked out of the game, shaking his hand in pain. He came back out of the locker room with his left hand wrapped and played the remainder of the game.
During post game, there was a language barrier that made it seem as Dončić said the X-rays on his left hand initially said it was broken and that he would get further tests in Dallas. He mentioned he didn’t think it was broken but the comment about the X-rays sparked immediate worry among fans who are well aware of Dončić’s pivotal role on the Dallas Mavericks. The video circulated instantly across social media as speculation on the severity of the injury increased. Questions loomed about the impact of Dončić potentially missing weeks and what it could entail for the team. The outcome of the injury could instantly change the trajectory of the team’s season.
In the middle of uncertainty, the Dallas Mavericks confirm to me that the initial X-rays taken during last night’s game in Los Angeles were indeed negative and did not show it was broken but he will have further testing done in Dallas.
Although, further evaluation is scheduled for the 24-year-old superstar, the initial X-ray results should calm the nerves of Mavs fans from frantically checking for updates.
The replay of the incident looked bad but the guard managed to remain in the game. The official announcement of Dončić status still has remained silent until after additional tests are performed by medical professionals in Dallas.
As the health of Dončić stays the main priority, team success and individual awards are dependent upon him staying healthy. It can define the outcome of upcoming games and potentially the entirety of the season as the Mavericks cannot afford to lose their superstar for weeks and stay afloat in the conference. With new rules introduced by the NBA, players also must play a threshold of 65 games in a season to be eligible for end-of-season awards.
Dončić has averaged 30.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 16 games this season. He is on pace to be a finalist for MVP and All-NBA First Team selections.
The Mavericks are currently fourth in the Western Conference with a 10-6 record.
UPDATE: Luka Dončić MRI results showed left thumb sprain. Luka practiced Tuesday and he will be available to play Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.