To see him having fun in the defenses, evening after evening, we almost forget that Luka Doncic suffers from a thigh injury. A pain that has not left him since March, and last night, the Mavericks leader confirmed that he had to manage this injury on a daily basis. And same quarter by quarter.
“The first half was really good, and then in the third quarter I started feeling it again. I had to warm up” explains the Slovenian, author of 39 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds against the Warriors. This left thigh has been bothering him for nine months, and he has even missed several meetings to rest it. He acknowledges that this is not ideal.
“It’s obviously a problem. It's been like this since March. So it's obvious that this is a problem.” he repeats. “I'm just trying to continue to do bodybuilding. This helps me a lot. But obviously it's a bit of a concern. »
His address changes the game for the opponents
Even if he can play with this pain, Luka Doncic is therefore forced to skip certain matches. Like the previous one in Minnesota, and he recognizes that this left thigh is essential for his outside shots. This year, he has never been so skilled at 3-points.
“I just need to keep my legs fresh. It’s the most important thing for me right now.” he continues. “I have to get these shots in!” I still miss too many. Frankly, I think I could do much better (than 38.5%). Obviously I should put in some of these shots. But it's just confidence. Trust is important. That's all. »
For Steve Kerr, Luka Doncic's 3-pointer is a game-changer. “He shoots better. Before, he was at 34%, and we weren't going to get him from 3-point range. Now it is at 38%, that makes a very big difference. And that’s why he’s perhaps never had it this good. It’s through this 3-point regularity. »
