Luka Doncic has been banged up all postseason, and he's dealing with yet another injury in the NBA Finals.
The perennial MVP candidate has a thoracic contusion in addition to his nagging knee sprain and ankle soreness. He hasn't missed a playoff game yet this year, but he could be in danger of doing so with the latest bruise.
Doncic is averaging 28.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game through 18 playoff games. He scored a game-high 30 points in Game 1 on Thursday's blowout loss.
His play is instrumental to Dallas' success, so Mavericks fans will hope he remains on the floor. The Sporting News details the latest on Doncic's status below.
STREAM: Watch the NBA Finals live on Sling TV
Is Luka Doncic playing tonight?
Doncic will play tonight in Game 2 vs. Boston, according to Dallas' PR team.
Earlier, Doncic was downgraded to questionable for Game 2 on Sunday after originally being listed as probable. His thoracic contusion lowered his status, but his knee and ankle problems have been a factor all postseason.
Marc Stein reported that Doncic is expected to play in Game 2 after the initial downgrade.
Luka Dončić, I'm told, is on course to play in tonight's Game 2 of the NBA Finals as you would expect as we close in on tipoff in about four hours ... despite the discomfort visible during yesterday's open media session in Boston.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 9, 2024
More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq https://t.co/q7hYOsOGVB
Doncic has been warming up for the Mavericks ahead of Game 2, but he's still grabbing his chest in pain.
Luka Doncic is warming up and still grabbing at this chest/rib area before Game 2 pic.twitter.com/BPYaglBOLq
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 9, 2024
Doncic has played in all 18 of the Mavericks' playoff games thus far during the 2024 NBA season and 70 of the team's 82 regular-season games. He sat out the final two contests of the 2023-24 NBA regular season to rest ahead of the playoffs. The 25-year-old was replaced in Dallas' starting lineup by Dante Exum when he sat out the latter end of a back-to-back against the Warriors in early April.
It isn't clear whether Exum would get the nod again if Doncic can't play or if Jason Kidd would go in another direction.
The Sporting News will update this file when more information surfaces.
MORE: Why Luka Doncic is struggling during the NBA Playoffs
What time is the NBA Finals tonight?
- Date: Sunday, June 9
- Time: 8 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. CT
Game 2 of the NBA Finals will tip off around 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 9. The game will be played at TD Garden in Boston.
MORE: Celtics dominate Mavericks at home in Game 1 of NBA Finals
What channel is Celtics vs. Mavericks on tonight?
- TV channel: ABC
- Live stream: Sling
Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals will air nationally on ABC. Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke (color analyst) and JJ Redick (color analyst) will have the call, with Lisa Salters serving as the sideline reporter. Viewers can also stream the game on Sling.
Sling is the home for sports fans, as it offers a wide range of channels. You can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1 and more.
NBA Finals schedule 2024
(1) Celtics vs. (5) Mavericks — Boston leads 1-0
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| June 6 | Celtics 107, Mavericks 89 | — | — |
| June 9 | Game 2 | 8 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
| June 12 | Game 3 | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
| June 14 | Game 4 | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
| June 17 | Game 5* | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
| June 20 | Game 6* | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
| June 23 | Game 7* | 8 p.m. | ABC, Sling |
*If necessary