The Dallas Mavericks are amid a seven-game homestand. While they began this stretch clinching wins against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jason Kidd’s guys suffered an unexpected loss against the Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies. They sustained yet another massive blow after learning that Luka Doncic would miss out on their upcoming contest against the New York Knicks. Despite winning the clash against the Knicks, fans are hoping that Doncic is available to go up against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.
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Over the past few months, the Dallas Mavericks have been riddled with injuries. Even though the team has managed to hold their ground, several crucial players have missed out on large chunks of the season. The same will be the case as the Texan side adds six players to their injury report ahead of the fixture against Zion Williamson and co.
The likes of Maxi Kleber, Josh Green, and Dereck Lively II are added to the dreadful list as “questionable”, while Grant Williams is listed as “probable”. Ultimately, joining Dante Exum, Luka Doncic has been ruled OUT for the contest tonight.
Doncic is out for the second straight game with an ankle injury. During the clash against the Grizzlies, the Slovenian superstar’s ankle didn’t seem to bother him. He took on the floor for the entirety of the game, dropping 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in 36 minutes. However, with Kyrie Irving playing in exceptional form, the Mavs believe that a few extra days of rest will help Luka rejuvenate.
The Dallas Mavericks have a losing record without Luka Doncic
The Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks put up a great display, backed by an inspiring performance from Kyrie Irving, to defeat the New York Knicks. Despite their latest win, going up against the in-form New Orleans Pelicans will be a tough hurdle for the shorthanded Mavericks to overcome.
Enthusiasts and pundits are favoring the Louisiana side to emerge victorious in tonight’s clash for the right reasons. While the entire Pels squad has been playing some outstanding basketball, the Mavericks have been a completely different team without Luka Doncic on the roster.
The frontrunner for the MVP award has missed out on five games. In this span, they have had a losing 2-3 record and have also been averaging six points less than with Luka on the squad. Add to the fact that the Pelicans have won six out of their last eight games, and things only get more worrying for the organization.
Currently tied with NOLA with a 23-16 record, a win is extremely crucial for both sides as they battle it out for the 6th seed. A loss for any side would have a detrimental impact as the #8 Phoenix Suns are merely 2.5 games behind.
