Snyder, Mitchell Discuss Doncic Calf Injury
Apr 12, 2022, 3:31 PM | Updated: Apr 13, 2022, 3:10 pm
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic suffers and injury against the Utah Jazz (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – After their first practice preparing to face the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the playoffs, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and coach Quin Snyder discussed the calf injury of Luka Doncic.
On Tuesday, the Mavericks announced that tests revealed a strained calf and that there was no timetable for the Doncic’s return.
That leaves the Jazz in a difficult situation of preparing for the Mavericks while not knowing whether the game plan will include the Mavericks superstar.
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that an MRI confirmed a left calf strain for Luka Dončić.
Dončić has begun treatment and there is no timetable for his return. pic.twitter.com/L7GPE4Lfe0
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) April 12, 2022
“I don’t think you can predict anything relative to how you prepare,” Snyder said. “You certainly prepare for him to play.”
With minor calf injuries, a player can return to the floor as soon as a few days, but for more serious injuries, a player may need several weeks of rest.
Both Rudy Gobert and Bojan Bogdanovic suffered calf strains for the Jazz earlier this season and each player missed nine games, though they may have returned sooner if the injuries occurred during the playoffs.
On Monday, a photo emerged on Twitter that purportedly showed Doncic walking into a Dallas hospital wearing a walking boot over a taped left calf.
@Mavs_FFL @All_Things_Mavs @MavsFilmRoom @1053thefan @fishsports A friend happened to see Luka at the hospital walking with a boot on. Said it didn’t look good and he was grimacing pic.twitter.com/7BeqXzQb1R
— DFW Sports (@DFWSports4) April 11, 2022
Doncic left the Mavericks’ regular season finale against the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter.
Whether Doncic plays or not, Mitchell said the Jazz can prepare for a similar offensive scheme due to their deep and talented backcourt.
“He’s a force with a basketball and he makes a lot of good passes, and guys better,” Mitchell said. “But at the same token, they also have a lot of guys that can fill his role, maybe not to the full extent, but can do that. They’ve got Jalen Brunson, [Spencer] Dinwiddie at the forefront.”
Brunson had been one of the best reserves in the NBA since entering the league before becoming a full-time starter in Dallas this season.
View this post on Instagram
Dinwiddie was acquired by the Mavericks in a surprise move at the trade deadline and has seen a career resurgence averaging 15.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from the three-point line in 28 minutes per game off the bench.
“We have our preparation for when Luka is there, but by the same token, they’re still going to run the same plays,” Mitchell said. “It’s just the matter of different guys in those spots.”
The Jazz and Mavericks are set to open the NBA Playoffs on Saturday at 11 am MT in Dallas at the American Airlines Center.
The game can be heard on KSL NewsRadio and The Zone Sports Network. The series opener will be televised on ESPN, AT&T SportsNet, and FuboTV.
