Shorthanded Mavericks Look to Overcome Dončić and Irving Absences vs. Kings
Mavericks face Kings without Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Dinwiddie, Hardy, and Thompson step up as Dallas fights injuries and Sacramento looks to snap losing streak.
SACRAMENTO — The Dallas Mavericks face the Sacramento Kings on Monday night without their top two scorers. Kyrie Irving has been ruled out with right shoulder soreness, and Luka Dončić continues to recover from a left calf strain. Without their usual starpower, the Mavs will face a tall task to bounce back from Saturday’s 126-122 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Dallas enters the matchup having won 15 of its last 20 games, but it will need to rely heavily on Klay Thompson and the rest of the backcourt rotation, including Spencer Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy, to carry the offensive load.
The Mavericks played one game this season without Dončić and Irving in the lineup, ending in a 118-95 loss against the LA Clippers on December 19. Thompson, averaging 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists this season, delivered a team-high 22 points against the Clippers, stepping up without either member of his star-studded backcourt. The team received five total double-figure scoring performances that night. However, it wasn’t nearly enough to get the job done.
“Offensively, we struggled, and defensively actually, so not very well,” Thompson said after the loss against the Clippers. “It was the first time playing without both our guys. I’m sure it won’t be the last, and we’ll be ready the next time it happens. It’s a completely different style of play, obviously.”
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