Mavericks Rule Out 6 Key Players Against Kings, Including Irving, Thompson, and Lively
The Dallas Mavericks will be without six players when they face the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. The expected inactive players included Luka Dončić (left calf strain), Danté Exum (right wrist surgery), and Naji Marshall (suspension). However, three more players were ruled out during the day. A total of six players are inactive, including Kyrie Irving (right shoulder soreness), Klay Thompson (illness), and Dereck Lively II (left hip contusion), who were also ruled out.
With so many pivotal players sidelined, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd emphasized the importance of embracing a next-man-up mentality. This game will provide an opportunity to evaluate young talent stepping into more prominent roles.
“ We talk about next-man-up mentality. The development of our young players, giving them an opportunity to play and see where they’re at,” Kidd said. “We’ll see that tonight. We believe that they’re going to play at a high level, and they’re ready for this challenge.”
Late Changes to Dallas Mavericks Injury Report
During the afternoon, Irving was added to the injury report as out with right shoulder soreness. He is coming off a season-high 46-point scoring surge in the 126-122 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday but played a combined 79 minutes on a back-to-back. The Mavericks want to be cautious about his workload, especially as they try to tread water with Dončić sidelined for most of January at least.
Right before Kidd spoke to reporters in pre-game media, Lively was downgraded from questionable to out. However, when sharing the latest on the second-year center’s status, Kidd was subtle in expressing optimism about Lively’s chances to play against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Toyota Center.
“ He had a good workout today, so hopefully, we can start the new year off with some healthy bodies,” Kidd said. “But he had a good day today. He’s trending in the right direction.”
Latest on Injuries
Lively is trending positively, considering he’s been working with the training staff since the Mavericks went through their typical gameday process at Moda Center on Saturday. With multiple days to go through recovery, Lively is trending positively.
A surprise on the report was Thompson, who Kidd mentioned as out due to illness. He was not listed on the injury report at any point of the day until Kidd spoke to the media. The only positive development was P.J. Washington serving his one-game NBA suspension and returning to the starting lineup.
“ It’s good to get P. J. back and get him back into the flow of things,” Kidd said. “We’ll have another new starting lineup, but it’s good to have P.J. back as we go forward.”
Jaden Hardy, who recently recovered from a high ankle sprain, will be inserted into the starting lineup alongside Spencer Dinwiddie in the backcourt. Hardy totaled 11 points in 17 minutes on Saturday against Portland, while Dinwiddie chipped in 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
“ Yeah, the high sprain ankle is serious and so it’s going to take him some time,” Kidd said of Hardy. “I thought he did a good job in Portland, and he’ll get some other minutes. But he’s been out for a while. He’s got to get some of the rust off, but he’ll get some time tonight.”
Marshall still has three games left to serve on his suspension, including Monday’s matchup against the Kings. His scoring talent will undoubtedly be missed by a Dallas squad that is missing so many of its top options.
Looking Ahead
The Mavericks will conclude their four-game road trip with a matchup against the Rockets on Near Year’s Day. There are suddenly many potential developments to monitor regarding the injury report ahead of that game.
