Luka Doncic cleared to play Game 2 of NBA Finals vs. Celtics
BOSTON -- Despite being downgraded from probable to questionable on Sunday, Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is available for Dallas for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Celtics.
The star point guard was initially listed as probable Sunday morning with a sprained right knee and left ankle soreness, but was then downgraded to questionable with a bruised chest added to his list of injuries later in the afternoon. He was cleared to play after going through his pregame warmup at TD Garden in Boston ahead of the 8 p.m. tipoff.
In Game 1 on Thursday night, Doncic led the Mavericks with 30 points and 10 rebounds. But the Celtics defense hounded him all game and forced him into a 12-for-26 shooting night, and Doncic had just one assist to four turnovers. Boston won,107-89, to take a 1-0 series lead.
Over 18 games this postseason, Doncic is averaging 28.8 points per game off 44 percent shooting overall to go with 9.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said that Doncic suffered his chest injury while taking a charge and diving on the floor for a loose ball during Game 1.
It certainly sounds like the Mavericks were trying a little more gamesmanship with Doncic's Game 2 injury status. Kidd was already working hard on that front on Saturday, when he commented that Jaylen Brown -- not Jayson Tatum -- was Boston's best player. Celtics players didn't take the bait with Kidd's comments, and chances are they never doubted that Doncic would play in Sunday night's Game 2.
