The Dallas Mavericks head into Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers severely shorthanded once again, and this time they will not have Anthony Davis. The team has officially ruled him out due to injury management after he made his long-awaited return against the Lakers on Friday.
That outing was his first appearance in 15 games, but it also ended with a heavy workload in a high-energy rivalry game.
Davis finished with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in 28 minutes of action. With Dallas thinking about the long-term future when it comes to Davis’ health, sitting him on the second leg of a back-to-back was expected.
Dereck Lively II (foot injury), Dante Exum (knee surgery), and Kyrie Irving (ACL) are all out as usual. All three players were unavailable against the Lakers and will remain sidelined. These absences have gutted the Mavericks’ rotation, leaving them with makeshift lineups and forcing rookie Cooper Flagg to carry point of attack duties that normally belong to veterans.
Flagg had 13 points and 11 assists in the 129-119 loss to the Lakers, while P. J. Washington chipped in 22 points, but it still wasn’t enough to overcome the 73-point explosion from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Mavericks have now dropped three straight and sit at 5-15, which puts them 14th in the West. Only two wins in their last 10 games speak to how rough their stretch has been. Even with Dallas playing hard and showing flashes from Flagg and Washington, their offensive issues and health are hard to overcome.
On the other side of the matchup, the Clippers are doing no better, as they also face their own injury problems. Bogdan Bogdanovic (hip injury) and Jordan Miller (hamstring injury) are both listed as game-time decisions after missing the previous game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Derrick Jones Jr. (knee injury) and Bradley Beal (hip injury) are out as usual, leaving the Clippers without two major rotation pieces for the foreseeable future.
The Clippers are also in a rut of their own. They sit at 12th in the West, with a record of 5-14. Like Dallas, they also have just two wins in their last 10 games, and they are coming off a 112-107 loss to the Grizzlies.
Kawhi Leonard exploded for 39 points while James Harden put up 23 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. But it still wasn’t enough, as the Clippers blew a 16-point lead in the second half and could not mount a comeback.
Both teams entered the year with high expectations, and both have been dragged down by injuries, poor play, and roster construction.
With Davis sidelined again and the Mavericks running a skeleton crew, the Clippers appear to have a slight edge. But given how both sides have played, even that feels shaky.
This matchup features two teams trying to steady themselves before the season slips away, and whichever group manages to string together 48 minutes of health and execution will walk away with a much-needed win.
