James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers are in Dallas to take on the Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Jason Kidd and co. will have to face their conference rivals without their franchise superstar. Luka Doncic was included on the Mavericks’ injury report with him listed as OUT for the contest.
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Following a dominant performance in Golden State, Doncic picked up a left heel contusion and was unable to practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, leading to his exclusion from the lineup tonight.
Dallas Mavericks Injury Report vs. LA Clippers:
Luka Dončić: Out (Left Heel Contusion)
Kyrie Irving: Questionable (Right Shoulder Soreness)
Jaden Hardy: Out (Right Ankle Sprain)
Danté Exum: Out (Right Wrist Surgery)
Brandon Williams: Out (Right Thumb Sprain)— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) December 19, 2024
Such contusions affect the padding under one’s heel, causing pain whenever any weight is exerted on the foot. The Mavericks are wise to rest him and avoid any further lower-body injuries.
This season, Dallas have over-performed in Luka’s absence, holding a 5-1 record when he was sidelined with a wrist sprain. Kyrie Irving stepped up for the team during that stretch, but he too is questionable for tonight’s game against the Clippers. The injury report has listed his concern as right shoulder soreness.
Both Irving and Doncic were instrumental during the Mavs’ previous game; a 143-133 win against Golden State on Sunday. Kyrie contributed 21 points and 8 assists while Luka exploded for a season-high 45 points. He also added 13 assists, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, marking a dominant performance in San Francisco.
Unusually, Doncic’s highlight play came on the defensive end when he locked down Brandin Podziemski in the final quarter. Not only did Luka smother the sophomore guard, but he also blocked his desperation heave as the shot clock wound down.
After earning criticism for his fitness and defensive motor during the NBA Finals, the Slovenian is currently averaging a career-high 2.1 steals per game this season. That pairs well with his averages of 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists through 20 games.
Jason Kidd will undoubtedly struggle to replicate his production tonight, especially if Irving is unavailable too. Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum remain out of the lineup, so the offense will likely fall into the hands of veteran point guard, Spencer Dinwiddie.
Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall might also be promoted to the starting five tonight. Along with PJ Washington, Dereck Lively II, and Dinwiddie, this could be one of the better defensive lineups in Kidd’s arsenal, and it should make for an exciting but low-scoring contest against the fifth-best defense in the NBA.
Tonight is the first time the teams are matching up since Doncic & Co. eliminated LA in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs. The Clippers will remain in town though, as the second game of their season series is scheduled for Saturday night.
