The Mavericks are listing star guard Luka Doncic as questionable for Game 4 against the Clippers, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. In today’s session with reporters, coach Rick Carlisle said Doncic, who left Friday night’s contest with a sprained left ankle, might be a “game-time decision” for Sunday.
“I wish I knew right now, but I don’t,” Carlisle said. “We have good depth to play without him, but he’s one of the best players in the world, so if we have to play without him, it’s a big loss.”
Doncic was scheduled to have an MRI on the ankle today, but the test was delayed because of an issue with the machine. He briefly returned to Game 3 after suffering the injury in the third quarter, but was removed again after about three minutes.
“I could run,” he told reporters, “but I couldn’t push off my left leg.”
There’s more injury news to pass along:
- Clippers guard Patrick Beverley is listed as doubtful for Sunday, according to a tweet from the team. If he can’t play, it would mark the eighth game in the past nine that Beverley has missed with a strained left calf.
- Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni continues to cite improvement from Russell Westbrook as he recovers from a strained quadriceps muscle, but hasn’t speculated on when he might return, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Westbrook’s running has been limited to an alter-G device that restricts how much of a player’s weight is placed on the treadmill. D’Antoni said Westbrook is “doing better, as expected. Every day he does a little bit more.”
- Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris has been upgraded to doubtful for Game 4, raising hopes that he might soon be ready to play for the first time in five months, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. A right hip strain has kept Harris out of action since the team arrived in Orlando.
- The Celtics announced that small forward Javonte Green will miss his second straight game Sunday with a sprained right knee (Twitter link). Green’s court time in the playoffs has been limited to a brief appearance in Game 2.
They can add Steven Adams to the list.
Way Caruso played last night. They can let Rondo heal and rest. Collins really messed this matchup, up. Rockets can let Westbrook heal too. They look OK. Will need him for next rd.
Big Caruso fan but he’s be absolutely terrible until tonight in the bubble.
Hopefully its a confidence booster for a player who needs those types of things more than others
Jr needs to GO Go Go….I wonder who the cut was going to be tonight? I suppose it could be Dudley now with Markieef playing well but Im all in favor for Jr… Really would have liked seeing Cook get those 9 mins tonight as well
Really, wow he looked good. Played smart and played D too. Gave them big mins.
Caruso won’t be able to do in the playoffs what he did in the RS, when he has the advantage in energy and a kind of madcap-ness when others are just getting through the day. But as players in general tire in this camp tournament with regular games, he could be crucial.
Anyway look at Lilliard’s numbers— way down in efficiency this series despite two 34-pt games, which speaks to defensive effort.
I have seen no defense from JR Smith and Waiters is all DNP of late. He looked nervous but not awful earlier. Pope, Green, Cook, later Rondo, James for assists… barely enough for a title.
Hopefully the refs will start calling the game more evenly when the Rockets and Thunder meet again on Monday. In the first 3 games combined, they called 72 fouls against Houston compared to just 60 for OKC. And the Rockets had just 60 FT attempts compared to 78 for the Thunder. People always say how Harden lives at the FT line, but that certainly hasn’t been the case in this series. And it’s not like OKC drives to the basket any more than Houston does, they’re just getting way more calls in their favor.
Oh boy! Here comes the crybabies with all their crying, screaming, boohooing, winging, whining, moaning…
6 more calls per game aint nothing to sniff at
Didn’t notice an imbalance. Rockets have some journeymen trying to prove themselves (and darn Jeff Green did!). Also Harden gets less surprising to an opponent in a long series… Dort covered him with arms back; and he has the shoulder.
That call that Delores went on about, on the inbounds late that Harden got his way— I would have loved to see a no call and the two get up all grouchy after. Clever vs clever, jump it up.
Must say though that OKC were lucky they even stayed close. Nobody did very well until the end. Was their key tough D; or playing without much personality? Fatigue is mattering more and more. Teams are going hard without travel days between.
Harden not getting calls that’s big. Yeah that stat is weird. Usually it s Rockets going to line