DALLAS — Mavericks guard Luka Doncic returned to the lineup for Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game against the New Orleans Pelicans after missing the previous game because of a right knee contusion.
After a four-game slide, the Mavericks have won two straight after Sunday’s victory against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder — the first game missed by Doncic this season.
In his previous outing last Saturday, Doncic played a season-low 28 minutes and scored 16 points – one more than his season low — in a home win over San Antonio. He sat out the final eight minutes with the Mavericks comfortably ahead.
Doncic won last season’s NBA scoring title, averaging 33.9 points per game, to go with 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists. He’s averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists this season.
“He has shown that he’s human,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of Doncic’s lower averages. “[Averages of] 28, eight and eight — you sign up for that all day long.”