Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was evidently fighting through injury Thursday during his NBA Finals debut against the Boston Celtics.
Doncic looked hobbled throughout the first three quarters of Game 1 at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. The Celtics raced out to a 63-42 lead at halftime.
At one point, the ESPN broadcast showed Doncic wincing in pain as he jogged back on defense early in the second half.
Luka Doncic a little injured?? 💔💔pic.twitter.com/fN94NzZ1sW
— SM (@SMHighlights1) June 7, 2024
Doncic scored 10 points in the third to cut what was once a 29-point Celtics lead down to 8. But Boston battled back with a 14-2 run to lead 86-66 before the final quarter.
Doncic has been dealing with a knee injury since the postseason began in April. Despite playing through pain for weeks, the Slovenian has carried his squad past the first three rounds of the NBA playoffs.
The Celtics have had a much easier path to the Finals than the Mavericks. The three teams Boston beat in the Eastern Conference bracket — the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers — all dealt with injuries to their top players.
The same pattern appears to be playing out for the Celtics against Doncic and the Mavericks.
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