As the Dallas Mavericks gear up for their season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, there are promising developments regarding Luka Doncic’s status as he continues to recover from a mild calf strain.

During Monday’s practice, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd informed reporters that Doncic actively participated in “almost everything,” raising hopes of his availability for the game against the Spurs. “Luka had a productive practice today,” Kidd stated on Monday. “The plan is for him to return to practice again tomorrow, and we’ll assess his condition.”

Doncic sustained a calf injury during a practice session at Real Madrid City before the game against Real Madrid at WiZink Center. Despite his eagerness to play more, the injury limited him to just five minutes of play in that game. Following the game, Doncic reassured reporters that his injury was “nothing serious.”

“It was a calf issue during practice yesterday, nothing too concerning,” Doncic explained while in Madrid. “They just want to be cautious and not make it worse. I tried to talk to the front office folks, but you know me, I’d have loved to play for 40 minutes, but it wasn’t possible.”

Since the Mavericks returned from their 12-day international trip, Doncic has undergone an MRI and has been gradually increasing his on-court activities while using the exercise bike until Monday. Last week, ahead of the preseason finale against the Detroit Pistons, the team was unable to provide a definitive timeline for his return.