Mavs vs. Thunder Preview: Luka Doncic OUT for 2nd Night of Back-to-Back
The Dallas Mavericks (23-17) hit the road to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (17-22) on Sunday on the second-night of a back-to-back.
Dallas handled their business on Saturday at home against a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team, 127-117.
Luka Doncic notched yet another triple-double in the victory — the 55th of his career and league-leading 10th this season — finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists while Christian Wood scored 28 points of his own in the win.
Following the win, Doncic mentioned that he may rest in Sunday's matchup against the Thunder as his ankle has been bothering him so expect a Doncic-less Mavericks unit today in OKC.
UPDATE: Doncic is indeed out for tonight’s matchup per Mavs PR.
The Thunder are coming off a 127-110 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday as all OKC starters scored in double-figures, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 30 points.
Dallas and OKC have split their season series so far, 1-1.
Here's everything else you need to know about tonight's game:
FUN FACT: Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy has scored 15 points in back-to-back games. Hardy has poured in 71 points in just 114 minutes played this season. That’s making the most of the opportunities given to you.
With Doncic potentially out on Sunday, look for the rook to get a more time on the court.
RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (23-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (17-22)
WHEN: Sunday, January 8, 2023 – 6:00 p.m. CT
WHERE: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, OK)
TV: Bally Sports Southwest, NBA League Pass
RADIO: 97.1 The Freak, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
ODDS: The Thunder are 3.5-point favorites over the Mavs
NEXT UP: Doncic and the Mavs hit the West Coast on to visit Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers at 9:30pm CT.
FINAL WORD: "I think it's always good to see how people handle the situation,” said Kidd of the closing lineup vs. New Orleans.
“It's easy to bring Timmy [Hardaway Jr.], Luka [Dončić] and those guys back in, but the team doesn't grow. Having [Jaden] Hardy, Theo [Pinson] and those guys out there to execute getting the ball in and then being able to knock down free throws ... I think it is a great opportunity for those guys who don't get to play a lot of minutes to feel a little pressure there."
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