Luka Doncic injury update: Mavericks star’s neck feeling ‘pretty sore’ after hard fall vs. Suns

Luka Doncic suffered yet another injury during Thursday night’s game between the Mavericks and Suns, but the Dallas star doesn’t believe he will miss any games moving forward.

During the third quarter of the Mavericks’ 109-101 loss, Doncic drove to the basket and lofted a floater over the outstretched arm of Suns center Bismack Biyombo. Doncic made contact with Biyombo, missed the shot and landed hard on his back along the baseline.

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After Dwight Powell grabbed the offensive rebound and finished through a Cameron Payne foul, the Mavs subbed out Doncic, who appeared to be feeling pain in his neck. He received treatment for the injury on the bench between the third and fourth quarters, and he eventually re-entered the game with seven minutes remaining in the final frame.

Doncic told reporters during his postgame media availability he was feeling “pretty sore,” but he expected to be “OK in a couple days.” He suffered a similar injury during the 2021 playoffs, but he continued to play despite a limited range of motion in his neck.

“That’s not an excuse [for the loss],” Doncic said. “But, you know, now we gotta treat it every day, a lot of massages so it will get better in a couple days. … It’s a lot of massages and steam room. I mean, those things, I think those things help a lot to relieve the pain, to relieve the muscle tightness.”

Dallas will next face the Grizzlies at home on Sunday before hitting the road for a back-to-back set against the Warriors and Trail Blazers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 22-year-old guard has missed 15 of the Mavs’ 46 games this season because of ankle and knee injuries as well as a stretch in the league’s health and safety protocols. He is averaging 25.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game this season, but his efficiency is way down compared to 2020-21. He is only shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from 3-point range.

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Following a December loss to the Nets, Doncic admitted his level of conditioning may have contributed to his slow start.

“I had a long summer,” Doncic said. “I had the Olympics, took three weeks off and I relaxed a little bit. Maybe too much. I’ve just got to get back on track.”

Doncic’s scare against Phoenix on the second night of a back-to-back came on the heels of perhaps his best game of the season. The fourth-year guard exploded for 41 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists on 13-of-24 shooting in a home win over the Raptors on Wednesday. That was a bright spot following an eight-game stretch in which he shot just 38.3 percent from the field.

The pedestrian play — at least by Doncic’s standards — could cost him a starting spot in the 2022 All-Star Game. He’s currently third among Western Conference backcourt players in fan voting behind Stephen Curry and Ja Morant. All-Star voting concludes at 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 22. Starters will be announced on Jan. 27, and the reserves will be revealed on Feb. 3.