Luka Doncic's new injury changes everything for Mavericks in Finals

Noah Weber

Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, there is tons of optimism coming from the Dallas Mavericks and their fans even after falling to the Boston Celtics by a score of 107-89 in Game 1.

There is no panic from Jason Kidd and company, especially considering how poorly they've played in Game 1s during these playoffs, but there is a bit of a healthy fear coming from parts of the fanbase considering how badly they got blown out in Game 1. Kyrie Irving was not himself in Game 1, and it seemed like the crowd rattled him. They will need Irving to be much better in Game 2 and beyond for the Mavs to win this series, but Luka Doncic was solid in Game 1.

Doncic finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 12-26 from the field, and although there were stretches in the game where he was effectively getting to his spots and was fully engaged, it was also clear that his injuries were bothering him once again. Doncic has been battling a knee sprain and ankle soreness all playoffs long, and now he has suffered another injury that could change everything for the Mavs if severe.

Luka Doncic's thoracic contusion changes everything for Mavericks in Finals

According to the Mavs' injury report ahead of Game 2, Doncic is listed as questionable with a thoracic contusion. A thoracic contusion is bruising on the chest, and when looking at the symptoms, this could cause Doncic some problems for the rest of the series.

A thoracic contusion or chest contusion can cause shortness of breath, pain when breathing, and tenderness. Depending on how severe Doncic's contusion is, this could make things extremely hard on him moving forward in this series.

Having pain while breathing and shortness of breath is the last thing that Doncic and the Mavs needed, and now he'll have to step up even more against the Celtics tonight and moving forward in the series.

Only time will tell how severe Doncic's injury is, and despite him being "on course" to play tonight in Game 2 according to NBA insider Marc Stein, it's still concerning that he was downgraded from probable to questionable.

Doncic always does whatever he can to play, but if this injury is serious, this series could heavily shift in Boston's favor. The Mavs need Doncic to be his full self, and this injury is a major blow if it visibly affects him in this series. He was finally starting to get fully healthy during the Western Conference Finals, and his health is now a concern once again.

For al the latest on Luka Doncic and the Mavs during the 2024 NBA Finals against Boston, stay tuned.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.