Draymond Green: Luka Doncic 'already a problem' for opposing teams

OAKLAND, Calif. -- After a monstrous first quarter, Luka Doncic exited the Dallas Mavericks' 120-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors early after crashing into a baseline chair while driving to the basket and suffering a left hip contusion.

After the game, Doncic lumbered around the locker room with slight limp and a bag of ice saddled to his hip.

"I think it is just a hit," Doncic said. "We will see tomorrow how it is and if I can play."

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle also said he did not think the injury was serious, but said that he would have a clearer picture of the injury before the Mavericks play in Portland on Sunday. Doncic missed one game earlier this season with a right hip strain.

The injury cut short another highlight-reel night for him.

In the first quarter on Saturday, Doncic navigated the Warriors' home floor like a seasoned veteran, zig-zagging through double teams set by former league and Finals MVPs and soaring to the basket for an authoritative dunk. He splashed in a 3-pointer over Jonas Jerebko and dunked over Kevin Durant and Shaun Livingston's double-team, drawing "oohs" from the sold-out Oracle crowd.

To an untrained eye, it would seem that he had been here before, in one of the hardest arenas for a road team to win in.

Doncic finished the first period with 14 points, the most by a rookie in the first quarter against the Warriors in the Steve Kerr era. In the second quarter, he went cold, going 0-for-3 from the field. The Mavericks clung to a three-point lead at the break.

Doncic toppled into the baseline chairs with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter, but stayed in the game for about two minutes (and eight possessions). He returned to the game for a nearly three-minute stretch in the fourth quarter before heading back to the bench. He did not return for the Mavericks' final push to close the Warriors 17-point lead to one.

Doncic finished the game with 19 points, three rebounds and five assists in 20 minutes and 40 seconds of playing time (Entering Saturday' contest, Doncic averaged 32.4 minutes of playing time per game -- the most of any player in the 2018 rookie class).

After the game, he gifted his signed jersey to 10-year-old Eric Kocher, whom Doncic tumbled into in the third quarter and was uninjured.

Draymond Green had high praise for Doncic.

"That dude good," Green said. "He got it. He going to be a problem. He already a problem, but he's going to be really good for a long time. He is exciting to watch. He has kind of lifted that franchise."

Green's compliments weren't the first that Doncic has garnered over the past week. Kings coach Dave Joeger said that he "doesn't see a ceiling" for the young guard, LeBron James said that Doncic was on the list of players he fantasizes about playing alongside. And Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said that all players should emulate Doncic's path of playing professionally in the EuroLeague before being drafted to the NBA.

Still, the Mavericks stagger up to the Pacific Northwest on a five-game losing streak.

"Our level of fight was good all night," Carlisle said. "We just have to keep moving forward."