ALERT: Luka Doncic OUT Tonight; Mavs vs. Pacers GAMEDAY
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks make a quick pitstop at home Friday to play host to the Indiana Pacers before going back on the road for a five-game road trip. The Mavs look to stay hot, winning eight of their past 11 games and aiming for a third-straight victory.
Right at the NBA trade deadline buzzer, the Mavs acquired perimeter shooter J.J. Redick from New Orleans. The veteran guard has not played since March 3 because of a heel injury. Will the 36-year-old make his Dallas debut tonight?
The answer is "no.'' And even as it regards Luka Doncic, the answer is also “no.”
BIG DEAL: The Mavs made a major move to improve their perimeter offense, acquiring the sharpshooting Redick (and forward Nicolo Melli) from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for James Johnson, Wes Iwundu, and a second-round pick. The deal not only gives the Mavs a desperately-needed three-point sniper in Redick but also preserves their cap space heading into the offseason.
[READ: Where Does Redick Fit With Mavs After Trade?]
[READ: How Will Mavs Fans Be Impacted By Major TV Change?]
LUKA MAGIC: Doncic has been extra magic lately. The Slovenian star has scored 37+ points in three straight games. Doncic is averaging 30.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game over his last 17 games (since Feb. 6).
But Luka has back soreness and is out for tonight. (He will, however, travel with the team this weekend.) Listed as out are Redick (right heel soreness), Melli (not yet with the team), Willie Cauley-Stein (health and safety protocols) and Tyrell Terry (personal reasons).
We will monitor the Doncic situation throughout the day and DallasBasketball.com will be at the AAC this evening for full coverage.
ODDS: The Mavs entered the day 4.5-point favorites and the total over/under is 227 points.
BETTING TRENDS: The Mavericks are 5-1 against-the-spread in their last six home games. The Pacers are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games against a team with a winning record. Head to head, the over is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings overall.
RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (23-19) VS. INDIANA PACERS (20-23)
WHEN: Friday, March 27, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. CT
LOCATION: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)
TV/RADIO: Fox Sports Southwest, NBA Leaguepass, ESPN 103.3 FM, Univision 1270 AM
FINAL WORD: Porzingis on the Mavericks’ potential:
"I think we're just getting into a decent rhythm. The schedule eased up a little bit on us, so we cannot let up and feel like we're doing great things."
