On April 19, Beijing time, the 2021-22 NBA playoffs continued. According to the schedule, the Lone Rangers will host the Jazz today, the second game in the series between the two sides. In the first leg of the series, the Lone Rangers lost 93:99 to the Jazz, so this game was not for them.
Before the game began, the Lone Rangers officially announced that the team's star, Doncic, would remain absent. Also absent from today's game were Hardaway Jr. (recovering from surgery on his left foot) and Nilikina (non-COVID-19 recovery).
Doncic has not played since being injured in the regular season finale against the Spurs. Earlier today, manager Kidd said: "Doncic's recovery is in the right direction and he's getting better every day." "But it's clear that Doncic is still a certain distance from being able to play.
Speaking specifically about Doncic's injury, Kidd said: "Doncic's current situation is very much like Nowitzki's knee injury in the 2003 playoffs, and when that time is approaching, we will have to make this decision, no matter what the situation is. Do you want him to play or not? We've been through it once before, and now we're going to face that again. ”
It has to be said that for the Lone Rangers, Doncic's absence is undoubtedly a huge loss. According to statistics, in the history of the NBA, the probability of winning the first game of the series is more than 70%. If the Lone Rangers can't win at home today, the 0-2 home situation will be even tougher for them.