INDIANAPOLIS – The Dallas Mavericks will have the services of Luka Doncic on Monday at 6 p.m. when they face the
Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
On Monday, after a review by the NBA office, the league rescinded the 16th technical foul Doncic received in the third quarter of Sunday’s 110-104 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. That technical foul came with an automatic one-game suspension for Doncic which the Mavs were hoping would be rescinded, thus allowing their superstar point guard to play against the Pacers.
Following Sunday’s game, coach Jason Kidd said: “You’re never going to replace (Doncic). It’s going to take a group.
“But hopefully (Doncic’s 16th technical foul is) rescinded. We didn’t think it was warranted, but we’ll see what happens.”
Doncic scored 40 points, collected 12 rebounds, handed out eight assists, and also picked up two steals and two blocks during Sunday’s game against the Hornets. The Mavs sorely need to have Doncic on board as they try and snap a season-high tying four-game losing streak.
Monday’s game is the second of a five-game road trip for the Mavs. The trip also includes games in Philadelphia on Wednesday, in Miami on Saturday and in Atlanta on Sunday before the Mavs return home to entertain Sacramento on April 5.
Currently, the Mavs are 36-39 and in 11th place in the Western Conference with seven games remaining. They also are just three games behind the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers (39-36), two-and-a-half games behind the sixth-place Golden State Warriors (39-37), two games behind the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (38-37), one-and-a-half game behind the eighth-place New Orleans Pelicans, one game behind the ninth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, and one game behind the 10th-place Oklahoma City Thunder.
With 7:51 remaining in the third quarter Sunday and the Mavs down, 59-52, Doncic said something to referee Nick Buchert pertaining to a non-call after he thought he was fouled while he was shooting a runner on the right side of the basket. Buchert issued Doncic a technical foul.
After the game, crew chief Kevin Scott told a pool reporter that: “Doncic was assessed a technical foul for his use of profanity directed at the officials in protest to a non-call that was correctly judged in postgame review.”
A day later, the Mavs received a huge break due to that technical foul being rescinded, thus enabling Doncic to play against the Pacers.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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