Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was available to play in Game 4 against the Clippers on Sunday night, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported he would. Doncic suffered a strained neck in Game 3 and his status was uncertain at the time.
“It’s just weird,” Doncic said of his injury, which also caused some pain in his left arm. “Just some massage, some ice and hopefully it will be good.”
Doncic has played some of the best basketball of his career this series, averaging 38 points, 8.7 rebounds and nine assists through three games. He’s also shot 52% from the floor and 46% from behind-the-arc.
There’s more from the Western Conference tonight:
- Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo has been attending to a personal matter in Greece, explaining his recent absence from the team, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Antetokoumpo is currently on a two-way contract with the club. There’s optimism that he could return if the Lakers advance past the Suns in the first round, the duo notes.
- Clippers big man Serge Ibaka missed Game 4 due to lingering back soreness, as first reported by Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Ibaka has provided valuable production when healthy, averaging 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 23.3 minutes in 41 games this season.
- The Warriors still have a ways to go before returning to contention, says Moke Hamilton of Basketball News. Golden State played without Klay Thompson (torn Achilles’ rehab) this season, though Thompson is expected to return for 2021-22. The team would have its championship trio of Stephen Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green to build around for the future.
Warriors need 4-6th man
Trade Wiggins and Wolves pick for 4th man
Trade Wiseman for 5th man
Sign and Trade Oubre and 14th pick for 6th man
Hope that three of 14 lottery teams like Wiseman and lottery picks
Huh? Why trade away Wiggins, Draymond, Wiseman, and Poole? What are you going to do about a Small Forward, Power Forward, Center, 6th man, and a bench?
The Warriors do have some good options in the draft. There could be a 7 foot center available also a few good young power forwards. A future build with young players could easily happen.
Future build? A present rebuild. Any center in the draft is going to have the same issues as Wiseman. Replacing Draymond is not going to be that easy. You might as well trade Curry and Thompson. The Championship window will have officially close.
I am talking 3 years from now about future builds. The big 3 will be at the end of their careers in 3 years time. It doesn’t sound like any big name stars will be available in the offseason. Might as well draft some future players.
i think slillyman don’t even knows what he just said… lmaoooo
He didn’t say to trade Draymond, who’s almost untradeable anyway.
The only team that would take him is the Cavs, to get rid of Love.
What is 4th man? How do you interpret that? Trading Draymond for Love would be an obvious over pay.
He means the Warriors 4th, 5th, and 6th players after Curry, Klay, and Draymond (who are players 1-3, not by position). I know our resident GM can be quite difficult to understand most of the time.
Who knows why those 3 trades would have to be with lottery teams.
I can see a sign-and-trade for Oubre. But, Poole has pretty much sowed up the 6th man role. Wiggins production and defense were solid all season long. Who are you going to get to replace Wiseman? Don’t say Steve Adams. Two players I’ve heard talked about that they could possibly land in Free Agency are Paul Millsap and Patty Mills. They were about to sign Nicolas Batum before Klay went down.
I’d almost try to do a Valancuinas/Anderson/Brooks/Tillman trade for Wigs/Wiseman/MIN pick/own 2021 pick.
Dubs get defensive versatility and playmaking from high IQ veterans with some size, without getting older(all under 30; JV:29, Anderson:27, Brooks:25, Tillman:22
Try to sell Memphis on the mid-2020’s team of Ja/maybe Suggs or Green/Clarke/JJJr./Wiseman that’ll all be prime from 2024-2032
However I’d nearly do it for Valancuinas, Justise Winslow(25yo), Anderson and Tillman tbh.
If they could pry Valancuinas, Anderson and Tillman for Wiseman, the MiN pick and an Oubre sign and trade, I’d be looking forward to next year’s lineup of
Steph/Klay/Wiggins/Dray/Loon with a bench of JV/Anderson/Poole/JTA/Tillman with Lee, Bazemore, Mulder, Paschall, Mannion and Jessup going for 3 spots.
Of course the starter spot might not be Loon’s if a big like Valancuinas is brought in, but I know they’re high on Loon after this season.
Valancuinas and Anderson are the big pieces, a legit big that can play the bully ball when the game slows down so Dray/Loon/JTA don’t waste energy on the Nurkic/Adams/AD/Jokic/Turner/Sabonis/Gobert/Kleber/KP/Boban/Lopez Bros/Vucevic/Wood/etc etc etc-point is Steph and Klay aren’t in their 20’s anymore and they’re NOT just running Hibbert, Mozgov or Pekovic off the court anymore.
There’s a lot of talented bigs and while the dubs are near the top in transition defense/pace, they’re near the bottom in rebounding.
Valancuinas had 14reb in a half vs GS.
Anderson is the perfect kind of guy for this bench. A 6’9-do it all forward, perfect for a bench unit/spot starter/7th man type.
While I’d prefer Brooks as our 6th man/Iggy type, I think he may be too difficult to pry from Memphis.
Tillman is a 6’8/245lb 1-5 defender in the mold of Draymond, and was a solid playmaker in college. It’s not crazy to think he’s a better fit at the 5 in Golden state, however his size makes him one of the bigger players on the Dubs day 1.
Dubs need defensive versatility and playmaking from high iq veteran players, size couldn’t hurt either.
Doncic is clearly hurt
Prediction: Warriors get Damion Liliard and Lebron James next year and team him up with Steph, Klay and Dramond