The Mavs could bring back Luka Doncic against host Jazz – KNBR

Injured star Luka Doncic will accompany the Dallas Mavericks on their upcoming road trip and could play against the Utah Jazz as early as Saturday in Salt Lake City.

After missing the last five games due to a wrist injury, Doncic returned to practice with his teammates on Friday. It’s uncertain whether he will play during the Mavericks’ weekend road trip against Utah or Sunday in Portland, but he will be with the team.

“He does his individual training sessions. “Everything I’ve heard or seen is in the right direction,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said Wednesday.

Unlike last season, when the Mavericks won just four of 12 games in Doncic’s absence, Dallas has coped well without their star player since his injury on Nov. 19 against New Orleans. The Mavs are 4-1 in that stretch, including a 129-119 win in Atlanta on Monday and a 129-114 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

Notably, Dallas had four players score at least 20 points in each of its recent wins, setting a team record. Against the Knicks, Naji Marshall scored 24 points, Kyrie Irving 23 and Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie each scored 21 points.

Marshall was particularly effective in Doncic’s absence. He has averaged 23 points on 63.3 percent shooting while hitting half of his 3-point attempts in the last four games.

Dallas’ depth was crucial to their 11-8 record. At least six players reached double figures in each of their last six games. In the Mavericks’ 123-120 win over Denver on November 22, seven players scored in double figures.

The Jazz haven’t had similar success on the scoreboard, but their players are gaining for a variety of reasons, including injuries, experience and playing time.

In Wednesday’s 122-103 home loss to the Nuggets, Utah was without Lauri Markkanen (personal reasons), John Collins (left knee bruise), Jordan Clarkson (left plantar fasciitis) and Kyle Filipowski (calf inflammation).

“We’re going to play some lineups tonight that none of us in this room have seen,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said before the game against Denver. “We’re going to be playing some lineups tonight that maybe none of us in this room have even thought about. But in a way these evenings are fun because we can let our creativity run free as employees and as a team.”

Collin Sexton led Utah with 26 points, Keyonte George had 23 points, Walker Kessler totaled 16 points and 12 rebounds and Brice Sensabaugh scored 13 points off the bench.

Nikola Jokic scored 21 of his 30 points in the first half, helping the Nuggets turn a 12-point deficit into a 10-point lead en route to a stunning victory.

“We still have these little windows of play that turn into a little disaster,” Hardy said. “The game was actually decided in that four to five minute window.”

The Jazz were grateful to be able to give Congolese player Oscar Tshiebwe, the consensus 2022 National Player of the Year from Kentucky, his first game experience with the team even during the loss. He had three points and nine rebounds.

“I love everything about Oscar. He just makes you feel good,” Hardy said. “He is such a good person. I wish I was more like Oscar.”