Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić is available for Game 3 of Sunday’s Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves after entering warmups with a questionable assignment.
Head coach Jason Kidd told reporters before warmups that Dončić was questionable due to soreness in his right knee. The team announced after warmups that Dončić was cleared to play. Forwards Maxi Kleber (shoulder) and Olivier-Maxence Prosper (ankle) are listed as out.
Dončić has been dealing with a persistent knee sprain for much of the playoffs. He walked cautiously when he showed up for Sunday’s game at the American Airlines Center.
An MVP finalist, Dončić is in the midst of a spectacular playoff run. The regular season scoring champion, Dončić is averaging 28 points, 9.4 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 14 games. He clinched Friday’s Game 2 win over the Timberwolves with a step-back 3-pointer over Rudy Gobert in the game’s final seconds.
The Mavericks enter Sunday’s game with a chance to secure the series lead at home. They took a 2-0 lead with wins at Minnesota. A win on Sunday night would give them a 3-0 lead with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
