Will Luka Doncic play on the NBA opening night? Head coach Jason Kidd provides BIG update on Mavericks’ star injury

The Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for their third preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, but the focus remains on the anticipated return of star guard Luka Doncic. Following Saturday’s practice, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd provided an important update on Doncic’s status and his potential participation.

Although Doncic has been involved in team training sessions, he and teammate PJ Washington have yet to see any action in the preseason games. During a recent media session, Kidd addressed their situations, stating, “PJ went through practice, he was good. And then Luka participated in non-contact today, so he was good.”

When pressed about whether Doncic or Washington would play in Monday’s matchup, Kidd exercised caution. “I would not say Monday, but we will see how everything is going when we come back from LA,” he said. “We will probably have a better sense of what’s going to take place on Thursday,” he added.

Despite previous comments indicating that “Luka is feeling great,” Kidd remains hesitant about allowing him to compete in a game just yet. However, Doncic has not been ruled out for the Mavericks’ final preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, which could serve as a key opportunity for his return.

The matchup against the Bucks will be crucial as it represents the Mavericks’ last chance to prepare before opening the 2024-25 NBA season against the San Antonio Spurs.

With time running short for his preseason debut, all signs indicate that Luka Doncic will be ready to play on opening night against the Spurs.

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What happened to Luka Doncic?

On October 2, the Mavericks announced that Luka Doncic sustained a left calf contusion during a training session, forcing him to miss at least a week of action.

This isn’t Doncic’s first encounter with calf issues; he faced a similar challenge last preseason when he suffered a strain during the team’s trip to Abu Dhabi and Madrid. Fortunately, he was able to recover in time for the regular-season opener. Fans are hopeful he can replicate that timeline this year.