The Dallas Mavericks may finally have a little hope to hang onto. After missing 13 straight games with a calf strain, Anthony Davis has been upgraded to doubtful for tonight’s matchup against the Miami Heat. That tag usually means close to return, and for a team that is stuck at 5-13 and sitting at 13th in the West, even a hint of Davis returning feels like a massive boost.
The injury list is still long. Dante Exum, Kyrie Irving, and Dereck Lively II are out, as Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams are questionable. That leaves Dallas dangerously thin again. Davis may not fix everything, but he is definitely a massive boost on the offensive end, a place they have struggled all season long.
Their latest loss, a 102-96 defeat to the Grizzlies, showed how stretched they are. Brandon Williams led with 18 points, PJ Washington added 15 and eight rebounds, and Cooper Flagg had 12 and seven rebounds. Dallas has won only three of its last 10, and every loss pushes them closer to a difficult decision.
With the trade deadline creeping up and league chatter about a possible retool growing louder, the Mavericks are running out of time to figure out whether this season is salvageable or not.
Miami, on the other hand, looks like a team settling into its stride. The Heat have won four straight and sit at 11-6, fourth in the East. And tonight, they expect Tyler Herro to make his season debut. He has missed all 17 games with an ankle issue, but his return gets the Heat a proven scorer and shooter.
Their most recent win was a 127-117 win over the Sixers, and it was a reminder of how good they’ve looked recently. Norman Powell erupted for 32 points, Kel’el Ware posted 20 points and 16 rebounds in one of his best performances yet, and Bam Adebayo added 18 points and 13 rebounds. Miami’s depth has been reliable, and Herro joining that mix only strengthens them.
They’re not completely healthy either. Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jovic are doubtful, and Terry Rozier is still on leave while dealing with the gambling investigation. But compared to what Dallas is going through, Miami’s situation doesn’t look that bad.
The pressure will be on the Mavericks tonight. They start a crucial four-game road trip, and this could be the moment the front office decides if they should stick with this experiment. For Miami, this is a chance to extend its winning streak and close the gap to the top teams in the East.
Catch the game at 7:30 PM EST at the Kaseya Center. If Davis plays, this has a chance to be a great matchup. If he doesn’t, Miami could turn it into a rout pretty quickly.
