Luka Dončić DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic (calf) has been listed as probable for Saturday's showdown against the Denver Nuggets. It looks like the Slovenian superstar is ready to rejoin the action after sitting out the second leg of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Doncic has averaged 14.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists since his move to Los Angeles, with his playing time limited to 26.7 minutes per game. Dorian Finney-Smith, who recorded 10 points, six rebounds, and two steals on Thursday, will likely return to the second unit against the Nuggets if Doncic is cleared for action.

According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (injury management) will not play Thursday when the team finishes their back-to-back against the Trail Blazers in Portland. Doncic had 14 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists in 33 minutes on Wednesday in a loss to the Hornets. It was his first game without a minutes restriction since joining the Lakers and is still working his way back to full strength after missing almost two months. If LeBron James (injury management) plays through his own questionable tag, he will have a huge workload. If LeBron joins Luka on the sidelines, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, and Dalton Knecht are candidates to shoulder the workload in the backcourt in a favorable matchup in Portland.

According to Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, guard Luka Doncic will remain on a minutes restriction on Wednesday against the Hornets. However, Redick added that he's "hopeful" that won't be the case moving forward. The 2018 No. 3 overall pick injured his calf during the Christmas meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves and didn't get back on the court until he made his Lakers debut on February 10 versus the Jazz. Since his arrival in Los Angeles, Doncic has averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting a miserable 26.7% from behind the arc. The 25-year-old should see around 25 minutes of work on Wednesday night, capping his DFS potential. Yet, Doncic should remain starting in season-long formats, and he'll likely turn up the volume from a statistical standpoint once he gets acclimated with his new squad.