Luka Doncic’s thoracic contusion, explained: Mavericks star receives injection for chest injury in 2024 NBA Finals | Sporting News Canada

Despite his heroics in leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, Luka Doncic has been battling injuries all playoffs.

Throughout the postseason, the superstar guard has periodically popped up on Dallas’ official injury report with a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness.

A chest injury is his latest ailment, diagnosed as a “thoracic contusion” during the Mavericks’ championship round against the Celtics. Doncic’s injury saw him downgraded from “probable” to “questionable” on the day of Game 2, but Dallas’ star played through the pain.

He was back on the Game 3 injury report with the same ailment but it will not prevent him from playing. There is no expectation that Doncic will miss any Finals games but he isn’t 100 percent, either.

What is a thoracic contusion and how serious is Doncic’s injury? The Sporting News breaks it down below.

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Luka Doncic’s thoracic contusion, explained

Doncic popped up on the Game 2 injury report with a “thoracic contusion,” which, in plain terms, is a chest bruise.

“Your thoracic cavity (chest cavity) is a space inside your thorax (chest) that contains your heart, lungs and other organs and tissues,” according to ClevelandClinic.org.

A thoracic contusion is described as “an injury caused by a blow or external force that does not break the skin but does injure the blood vessels and other tissues beneath the skin,” per Study.com.

It is unclear when exactly Doncic suffered the injury but the star guard has been seen holding his chest in pain throughout the series.

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The severity of the injury was put into perspective after a report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon the day before Game 3.

“Luka Doncic received a pain-killing injection before Game 2 to numb the area of his thoracic contusion,” MacMahon wrote. “The expectation is that Doncic will get another shot before Game 3.”

Doncic addressed the injury during his media availability between Games 2 and 3 but didn’t offer much insight.

“I feel good. I don’t want to give any more details, but I feel good,” the Mavericks star said.

Dallas announced that Doncic will be available for Game 3 despite the pain.

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Luka Doncic NBA Finals stats

Even playing through injury, Doncic has been the Mavericks’ most productive player by far. He went for a 30-point double-double in Game 1 and a 32-point triple-double in Game 2.

You can find his NBA Finals averages below.