Luka Doncic felt pain in neck, not shoulder, during Game 3 vs. Clippers: ‘It’s just weird’

By Callie Caplan

12:16 AM on May 29, 2021 CDT — Updated at 12:19 AM on May 29, 2021 CDT

Luka Doncic appeared to be getting treatment on his left shoulder during the second half of the Mavericks’ Game 3 loss to the Clippers, but he clarified afterward his shoulder wasn’t the issue.

Doncic first felt pain in his neck around halftime.

It then started to move down his arm during the second half, so he wore a wrap around his shoulder and neck area when he was on the bench and received some massage in between scoring a playoff career-best 44 points.

“It’s just weird,” Doncic said. “I don’t know how you call it. It’s just some massage, some rest, and hopefully we’re good.”

Though he winced and seemed to favor the shoulder during some stoppages in play, Doncic didn’t appear in consistent pain.

He tallied 18 points in the second half, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and finished with nine rebounds and nine assists, just shy of his fourth triple-double in nine career playoff games.

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