The Dallas Mavericks will be a little shorthanded on Wednesday night.
Luka Dončić was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a sprained right ankle, and Kyrie Irving was also ruled out with a sprained right thumb. In addition, Derek Lively II is out with a nose injury.
A sprained right ankle sidelined Dončić, a four-time All-Star, for a win over the New York Knicks on Jan. 11.
Dončić is having a prolific season. In 40 games, he averaged 34. 7 points, 8. 6 rebounds and 9. 6 assists. His 37. 5% good luck rate on three-point shots is also on pace to be a career high for him.
Irving is also having a solid season despite running out of time due to injuries. He averaged 25. 2 points, 5. 1 rebounds and 5. 3 assists in 27 games while shooting 47. 2% from the box and 41. 1% from deep.
Unlike last year, Dončić and the Mavs are fighting to make the playoffs. The team is 26-21 and seventh in a tight Western Conference.
Having Irving from the outset has obviously helped. Lively, a first-round draft pick, has also provided the defending and rebounding many highlighted as his NBA-ready skills on draft night. The Mavs are getting contributions from some unexpected sources, too, namely Derrick Jones Jr. and Dante Exum.
It’s knowing Dallas’ true limit before the playoffs, however, the overall atmosphere around the franchise contrasts sharply with that of last 2022-2023 season.
Dončić’s fitness is obviously critical for the Mavericks to have a deep postseason series, a streak the organization craves. That’s the overall goal.
Losing him, even for a limited period of time in the normal season, can come at a cost when just a few games can make a significant difference in Dallas’ position in the West.