Luka Dončić has been ruled out of Saturday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.
It’s the second straight game – both against the Clippers – that Dončić has been sidelined with a left heel contusion. However, Kyrie Irving, who also sat out Thursday’s Mavs-Clippers game with soreness in his right shoulder, will play in Saturday’s game.
Without both Doncic and Irving, the Mavs dropped a 118-95 decision to the Clippers two days ago. It speaks to how valuable both of those players are to the Mavs, who are now 5-2 in games Dončić didn’t play in this season.
“Obviously, they’re two of the best players in the world,” guard Spencer Dinwiddie said. “And I think just organizationally we know what we like to get to in terms of packages with one or the other.
“So, it’s different playing without them for the entire game.”
The return of Irving should help significantly in the Mavs’ attempt to even this brief two-game home package against the Clippers at 1-1. However, they still have to find a way to slow down Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who was 10-of-13 from the field and finished Thursday’s game with 21 points, 15 rebounds and five assists while being defended mostly by Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
“Zubac is a big body,” Dinwiddie said. “He’s a force and he showed that (Thursday). He played well.
“He did well on the boards and obviously scoring in the point. It’s on us as a team to help out D-Live and Gaff in that situation.”
Here are some other nuggets surrounding the game between the Mavs and Clippers.
*This is the second game of a four-game home stand for the Mavs that continues with Monday’s game against Portland and the Christmas day game against Minnesota before Dallas starts a four-game road trip Friday in Phoenix. This home stand started with Thursday’s 118-95 loss to the Clippers.
*For the Clippers, this is the second game of a three-game road trip. The road trip ends Monday in Memphis before the Clippers return home to host the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
*In Thursday’s loss to t
he Clippers, Klay Thompson poured in 22 points for the Mavs, Spencer Dinwiddie had 19 points, seven assists and three steals, P. J. Washington collected 14 points, nine rebounds and two steals, Dereck Lively II finished with 13 points, seven boards and three blocks, and Quentin Grimes added 11 points and five rebounds.
*Norman Powell (29 points, six rebounds), James Harden (24 points, seven assists), Ivica Zubac (21 points, 15 boards), Amir Coffey (16 points) and Kevin Porter Jr. (12 points) led the way for the Clippers in Thursday’s victory over the Mavs.
*The Mavs are 8-4 at home, while the Clippers are 6-6 on the road. The Mavs are seeded fourth in the Western Conference, one slot ahead of the Clippers, who are just one-and-a-half games behind Dallas in the standings.
*Despite losing Thursday to the Clippers, the Mavs have won 12 of their last 15 games and are still one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (16-12) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (17-10)
When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream
Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
X: @DwainPrice