Mavericks: Luka Doncic to miss 2nd straight game vs. Suns

The Dallas Mavericks were seconds away from defeating the Denver Nuggets when superstar Luka Doncic leaped up to a contest a shot and was rolled up on by Nuggets guard Austin Rivers. He limped to the locker room and did not return as the Mavs closed out the victory.

Doncic will miss his second straight game with knee and ankle sprains on Friday night as the Mavericks face the Phoenix Suns in Arizona. He was listed as doubtful before being ruled out, and the team will continue to decide his status on a daily basis.

The Mavs missed Luka in Wednesday night’s loss in Phoenix as they scored just 98 points, despite going 16 of 32 from 3-point range. What should fans expect in the second straight game without Doncic?

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic out for 2nd straight game: What to expect without him?

The Mavs shifted Jalen Brunson into the starting five and Trey Burke took his place as the backup point guard. JB continued his strong play finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in his third start of the 2021-2022 season, but the offense stagnated when both he and Kristaps Porzingis were on the bench.

Dallas needs Tim Hardaway Jr. to step up if they are going to defeat the Suns on Friday night. He had 22 points and four assists in the first meeting, but on nine of 23 shooting as the Mavericks were outscored by 11 points in his 37 minutes of action.

THJ will need to handle the ball more and help create shots if Dallas is going to defeat the hottest team in the West. The Suns are looking for their 11th straight win on Nov. 19, and they will get it without a strong performance from Hardaway Jr.

Kristaps Porzingis played well as the Dallas Mavericks' go-to scorer on Wednesday night. He finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks in the loss. The Mavs outscored the Suns by nine in his 32 minutes. KP taking on more playmaking responsibility could be massive on Friday night and moving forward for the Mavs.

Keep it locked to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest on Luka Doncic’s injury and how the Dallas Mavericks are performing without their 22-year-old superstar. They will need multiple players to step up against the Suns. Please tune in to see if they can make it happen, and do not forget to enjoy the game.