What to Watch for in Brooklyn Nets vs. Mavericks

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Dallas Mavericks for the second time this season.

The Nets are coming off a 103-98 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, squandering a 98-90 lead with three minutes left to go in the game.

The Mavericks are coming off a 125-107 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, as they've lost two straight games.

Michael Porter Jr. could make his return to the lineup after sitting out on Sunday, as the Nets generally opt to keep him and his surgically repaired back out of the lineup in at least one game in a back-to-back set.

The Nets could certainly use his gravity, as most of the lineup struggled to get anything going in a close loss to the Grizzlies, who were without high-flyer Ja Morant.

Tyrese Martin provided 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, suiting up for the first time in over a week while stepping up for a laundry list of Nets players out of the lineup.

Martin could see more minutes in this one to help manage the workload of some of Brooklyn's more regular rotation players, especially when his hand is a bit above room temperature.

Porter's absence from the lineup proved how much more the young core needs to learn about winning games and creating their own shot opportunities.

Egor Demin could've used this as an opportunity to attack the paint more and shoot more self-created 3-point attempts, but he didn't rise to the occasion.

Cam Thomas could've also used Sunday as a chance to prove he is still capable of being in the starting lineup and using his scoring to will his team to victory. Instead, he looked one game closer to an inevitable break up with the only team he's ever known.

On the topic of heartbreak, Nets fans will not get to see Kyrie Irving, the hometown superstar who was once hailed as the franchise's savior, in action, as he's still recovering from a torn ACL.

To add a bit more salt to the wound, Nets fans will get to see Cooper Flagg, who they hoped would end up in Brooklyn if the lottery was kind enough to grant the Nets the first overall pick.

With Anthony Davis out of the lineup, Flagg will face a ton more resistance from an improved Nets defense after putting up 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and eight assists in their last matchup.