Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic out in loss versus Grizzlies

Dallas Mavericks star rookie Luka Doncic was held out on April 5 in their 122-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies with a right thigh contusion.

The Dallas Mavericks only have one home game remaining after their April 5 tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies. Both the Mavs and Grizzlies entered Friday’s contest with identical 31-47 records. That meant draft lottery implications were significant at the American Airlines Center.

Luka Doncic had been dealing with a right thigh contusion since March 28. He took a knee against the Miami Heat. It caused Luka to miss two games, but he returned on Wednesday against the Timberwolves. The 20-year-old had 27 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in the Mavs heartbreaking loss. The injury came back, though.

Doncic was ruled out prior to tipoff on Friday. The Mavericks also decided to rest Jalen Brunson and Dwight Powell. That put them a significant disadvantage against the Grizzlies on April 5.

Memphis has eight players out

The Grizzlies also had a lot of player missing versus Dallas. Eight players were out including starters Mike Conley, Jonas Valanciunas, Avery Bradley, and Jaren Jackson Jr. The suits were out in full force on Friday evening in Dallas.

Draft implications

Both teams shared the same record heading in, but the loser was in the sole possession of the sixth worst record in the NBA. That means a small bump in lottery odds, and they could only fall to tenth overall. Selecting high is important to both teams. The Mavericks pick is top-five protected. Meaning if it falls after six, the selection heads to Atlanta from the Luka Doncic trade. The Grizzlies pick is top eight protected or it heads to Boston. There was a lot riding on Friday’s matchup.

Results

The Grizzlies jump out to an early lead and never gave it up. They scored over 30 points in each of the first three quarters in route to a 122-112 victory.

Final thoughts

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic missed the April 5 home game against Memphis. The Mavs ultimately lost the game. Dallas travels to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Sunday in their next game.

The Mavs only have three games remaining this season. That could mean only three more chances to see the legend, Dirk Nowitzki. Local fans will want to head to their final home game against the Suns on April 9.

Keep an eye out for updates on Luka’s injury heading into Sunday’s game. The Mavs rookie could be ready to go, but the team likely does not want him to play unless he is 100 percent healthy. Stay tuned for information as it becomes available.