Noah Graham/Getty Images Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic will be out for his team's game Thursday against the Detroit Pistons with an ankle injury, per Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Doncic arrived in the NBA to great fanfare in 2018. In his final season with Real Madrid, he won the Euroleague title and was its MVP. He also collected three Spanish league titles with Madrid—all before his 20th birthday. Somehow, Doncic has exceeded expectations in the NBA. Through 49 games, he's averaging 20.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 35.2 percent from three-point range. Despite Doncic's solid contributions, the Mavericks face an uphill battle in the race for the playoffs. At 23-27, Dallas is 4.5 games back of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Losing the Slovenian guard won't make a return to the postseason any easier. Until Doncic comes back, the Mavs will turn to Jalen Brunson as their primary playmaker, and Devin Harris will likely handle the ball as well. In addition, Dallas is short-handed Thursday after a seven-player deal with the New York Knicks sent Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews to the Big Apple. The Mavs will get Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Burke, Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. in return.<doc-sep>AUBURN HILLS – Bruce Brown’s defensive tenacity earned the rookie guard a regular spot in the Detroit Pistons starting lineup before Tuesday. Due to recent defensive lapses, Brown came off the bench during his team’s 115-105 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Whether or not he’s starting Thursday, Brown’s defensive disposition must revert to how it has been most of the season. Dynamic rookie Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks visit Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) to face a desperate Pistons team gradually sliding further out of the final playoff spot. “He was minus-23 (Tuesday), so that says something,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “Bruce has got to get back to his defensive acumen … and not have the mistakes defensively he’s had last couple of games.” Brown had started the previous 17 games and 24 altogether. With Reggie Bullock out (sprained ankle, game-time decision for Thursday), Casey inserted Glenn Robinson III into the starting lineup for his defense and replaced Brown with Langston Galloway for his offense. Plus, he felt Brown could use a break. “You got to get amped up every night as a rookie for some of the best offensive players in the world,” Casey said. “That takes a toll. “We’re not down on Bruce. It’s just a normal part of the year for a young player. We understand it, we try to help him with it, whether it’s cutting his minutes back a little bit. It’s not effort whatsoever, because he’s playing as hard as anybody. It’s just the little mental mistakes you make when you’re not as sharp mentally or focused.” Casey noted the Pistons have played 48 games, close to two college seasons. Brown was limited to only 19 games last season at the University of Miami due to injury. “I don’t know if it was a rookie wall or whatever, just the concentration and attention to detail, shooting the gap when he’s not supposed to shoot the gap, weak in it when he’s supposed to be strong with it,” Casey said. “All those things young fellas usually (do) when they’re mentally fatigued a little bit. But he’s going to be a really important piece for our program.” The Pistons, during a 106-101 loss at Dallas Friday, used Brown, Bullock and Galloway on Doncic in the first half before having Stanley Johnson defend him in the second half. Doncic is coming off a career-high 35 points in a loss to Toronto, when he recorded his second career triple-double (12 rebounds, 10 assists). He scored 32 vs. Pistons, giving him back-to-back 30-point games for the first time. “He’s not your typical rookie,” Casey said. “He was one of the best players in the world coming over here (after four years in Spain), MVP of the league over there. He’s played a lot of basketball against men that physically tried to put him on his butt. “He reads every situation perfect. He reads the tags, reads the coverages. That’s not your typical rookie. We have to make sure he understands there’s resistance, there’s a body in front of him, he feels the body, and not let him play like he’s on the court by himself doing ball-handling drills like there’s no resistance. Be physical without fouling.” Brown spent much of his time Tuesday at the point because Ish Smith missed essentially his fifth game in a row (adductor tightness). “That’s his eventual position, so we wanted to look at it,” Casey said. “I thought he did a decent job. “That position until Ish comes back is going to be fluid. (Brown) is in the mix.”<doc-sep>Detroit Free Press staff Detroit Pistons (21-28) vs. Dallas Mavericks (22-27) When: 7 p.m. tonight. Where: Little Caesars Arena. TV: Fox Sports Detroit. Radio: 97.1 FM (Pistons radio affiliates). • Box score Game notes: With the polar vortex freezing the Midwest, tickets are as low as $4 for tonight's game. The Pistons have been almost as cold as the temperatures the past few days, losing four of their past five. One of those losses includes a defeat at Dallas, where likely rookie of the year Luka Doncic scored 32 points on Friday. ... The Mavs are acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks in a blockbuster deal agreed to Thursday afternoon. The Knicks are getting Dennis Smith Jr., Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan from Dallas, so the Mavs will be extremely short-handed against the Pistons. Injuries: Ish Smith is out (abductor); Reggie Bullock (ankle) is playing; Doncic (ankle) is out. More:Blake Griffin was ready for the Pistons. They weren't ready for him Breaking:Blake Griffin is an NBA All-Star for 1st time since 2015 Twitter updates Live updates for mobile users. Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android!<doc-sep>
Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic is an All-Star according to Detroit Pistons Head Coach Dwane Casey. Read more about the coach’s comments. Dallas Mavericks fans were left feeling snubbed when the All-Star starters were announced last week. Luka Doncic may only be a rookie, but he is more than deserving of being an All-Star. The fans came out and supported it too. Luka received over four million votes, but it was not enough. The starters for the Western Conference are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Paul George. Fans can read more about Doncic’s snub here. Luka can still be an All-Star this season, though. The reserves will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 31. Doncic is as deserving as anyone. His numbers are superb, and the fan vote should count for something. The coaches have the say on the All-Star reserves, though. At least one coach believes that Luka Doncic should be part of the game according to his recent comments. Coach Casey supports Luka Detroit Pistons Head Coach and reigning NBA Coach of the Year Dwane Casey had plenty to say about Luka Doncic and the Mavericks when the Pistons visited earlier this week. Fans can listen to his full comments here. Coach Casey saying that Luka is an All-Star is important. If fans what to see him in the game on Feb. 17, they have to rely on the coaches to vote him in. One voicing his support could lead to others joining in. The coach’s votes are due on Tuesday. Luka did not hurt his chances by making history on Sunday evening against the Raptors. He became the youngest player ever with 30-plus points in a triple-double. Hopefully, the rest of the coaches are with Dwane Casey and vote Luka Doncic into the All-Star game this season. It is another opportunity for Luka to make history. Dallas Mavericks fans are ecstatic about the 19-year-old, and he truly is taking the NBA by storm. Stay tuned to The Smoking Cuban for updates on Luka Doncic’s All-Star candidacy and everything fans need to know about the Dallas Mavericks.