Mavericks star Luka Dončić leaves Christmas loss to Timberwolves early with left calf injury

On December 26, 2024By Littum

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić left Wednesday’s 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a left calf injury.

Dončić, in the second quarter of the Christmas Day game at the American Airlines Center, pulled his elbow when he suddenly pulled up and sent the ball away. Then he immediately started limping and looked distraught as the game went the other way.

Dončić eventually walked off the pitch and into the dressing room under his own power, but limped significantly as he did so.

The Mavericks ruled Dončić out at halftime with a left calf injury. Further details are not yet known, though he was dealing with a calf strain he first suffered during the preseason. Dončić returned from that injury in time to start the regular season.

Dončić finished with 14 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. He shot 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The 25-year-old entered the game averaging 29 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game this season.

The Timberwolves surged ahead in the second quarter and took a 17-point lead into halftime. They held Dallas to just 16 points in the period as well, then pushed their lead to 26 points in the third quarter. However, Dallas opened the final period on a 31-11 tear and made it a one possession game in the final minute. However, that push came too late. Minnesota held on down the stretch, thanks to a pair of huge buckets from Anthony Edwards, to grab the six-point victory.

Edwards led the Timberwolves with 26 points and eight rebounds in the win, pushing them to 15-14 on the season. Julius Randle finished just shy of a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Kyrie Irving led Dallas in Dončić’s absence. He dropped 39 points and shot 14-of-27 from the field in the loss. Klay Thompson added 12 points on four 3-pointers. The Mavericks will face the Phoenix Suns next Friday, starting a four-game road trip.