Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic expected to return Saturday

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is expected to return to action on Saturday night vs. the Kings, reports Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). The team has officially listed Doncic as probable to play (Twitter link).

Doncic has missed the last four games due to a right heel contusion. His return has been much anticipated not just because he’s an MVP candidate but because his first game back will also mark his first game playing alongside new Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.

Irving has been Dallas’ leading scorer in his two games since joining the team, both wins. He scored 24 points in Los Angeles on Wednesday as the Mavs knocked off the Clippers and had 25 in Sacramento on Friday night as the Mavs won the first game of their back-to-back set vs. the Kings.

On Friday, in his first comments to reporters since Dallas acquired Irving, Doncic wished former teammates Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith well and expressed excitement about teaming up with his new backcourt mate.

“We’ll obviously miss them here, but Kyrie’s Kyrie, man,” Doncic said, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “NBA champion. Probably the best ball handler ever in the game. Amazing player, and he’s going to be fun to play with.”

Doncic said on Friday that he was still experiencing pain in the heel but added that it felt “way better every day.”