The Dallas Mavericks are among the best teams in the Western Conference, and their game on Thursday, December 19th, against the L.A. Clippers will take on increased importance. The Mavericks are just one game back from being the second seed in the West, and with few easy games on their schedule, they need to take advantage of playing the Clippers.
While the Clippers have been competitive this season, they have been injury-bitten thus far. However, Mavericks star Luka Doncic appears on their injury report with a heel contusion, but will he play against the Clippers?
Dallas Mavericks full injury report against the L.A. Clippers
The Mavs have a large number of players on the injury report, including Brandon Williams, Kyrie Irving, and Naji Marshall, as well as Doncic, who are all listed as day-to-day.
Save for Doncic, who is out, Maxi Kleber, Dante Exum, and Jaden Hardy. Kleber will miss their game with a rib injury, Exum will be out as he recovers from wrist surgery, while Hardy has an ankle injury.
Having seven players, including several rotation players, on the injury report is a bad sign for the Mavs, particularly after a long layoff following the NBA Cup playoffs and championship game. Even so, Doncic's missing their game against the Clippers on Thursday, December 19th, turns a winnable game into potentially a more competitive one.
Fortunately for the Mavericks, the Clippers are also a bit banged up.
L.A. Clippers full injury report against the Dallas Mavericks
While the Mavs are banged up, so too are the Clippers. Their injury report includes Kawhi Leonard, who is still working his way toward making his debut after missing his team's first 27 games to start the season. Fortunately for the Mavericks, the Clippers will still be without Leonard, as well as Terance Mann, P.J. Tucker, Kobe Brown, and Derrick Jones Jr.
All five players will miss the Clippers' Thursday, December 19th game against the Mavs. Tucker is away from the team while Terance Mann has a broken finger. Joining them on the Clippers injury report is Brown, who is out with a back injury, and Jones Jr. is out with a hamstring injury.
While both teams will be without key rotation players, the Mavericks are more talented, and if Irving plays, potentially more firepower. They will also be playing at home in Dallas, giving them an added boost, but anything can happen with the Mavs being without Doncic.