Mavericks news: Luka Doncic wants more day games, Jaden Hardy's 1st bucket, and more

The Dallas Mavericks dominated the Knicks in a Saturday matinee on Dec. 3. The game tipped off at 11:30 a.m. CT or 12:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden, and superstar Luka Doncic led the way with 30 points in a 21-point victory. Dallas blitzed the Knicks in the third quarter with hot shooting and strong defense to build an insurmountable lead.

Number 77 was asked about playing day games during his postgame presser, and he did not hold back on how much he enjoyed them. Luka said he “loved them” before sharing this answer on why he enjoyed them so much.

"I have a lot off. Right now, it’s 3 p.m., till the night... Love them."

Doncic followed up by saying he planned to go out to dinner after the team arrived back in Dallas before noting for everyone to make sure Adam Silver sees this. He likes the additional time off, and he was also a fan of people back in Europe being able to watch him play. The Mavs will get plenty of day games as long as Luka is in Dallas, so number 77 has nothing to worry about.

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The blowout game created an opportunity for head coach Jason Kidd to play rookie second-round pick, Jaden Hardy, for the final seven minutes. The 20-year-old was ecstatic about scoring his first NBA bucket on Saturday afternoon at the world's most famous arena.

Coach Kidd noted that Luka Doncic presented the game ball to Hardy in the locker room after the win. He has been dominating the G League, so it was fantastic to see the 20-year-old rookie get into the game and score his first NBA bucket. Hardy finished with five points and one rebound in seven minutes of action.

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Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are both inching closer to returning to the court. Both practiced on Friday and will be on the Clippers' upcoming road trip. Leonard has played just five games this season, and he has missed six consecutive with an ankle injury. PG13 has missed seven in a row with a hamstring injury.

The Kings dominated the Clippers on Saturday night without their two stars as LA fell to 2-4 since Leonard sprained his ankle. The Clippers are 13-11 on the season and seventh in the Western Conference, despite both of their superstars missing significant time.

No team wants to face Kawhi and PG13 in the playoffs, but can the duo stay healthy? They have been plagued by injuries since joining forces back in 2019. Both players are nearing a return to the court, but will they stay on the court? It is something to watch as the regular season progresses.