DALLAS – Forwards Luka Doncic and Maxi Kleber will be sidelined Sunday when the Dallas Mavericks face the Los Angeles Clippers at 6 p.m. at American Airlines Center.
Doncic strained his right hip during last Friday’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers, while Kleber has a sore right knee.
“We don’t believe either is serious,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “But they just aren’t right for tonight.”
Doncic leads the Mavs in scoring with 18.5 points per game. He also is averaging 6.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists, and has already produced 10 games where he’s scored 20 or more points.
Kleber, meanwhile, is one of the Mavs’ top reserves and averages 6.5 points and 3.6 rebounds, and also leads the team in blocks with 1.3 per game.
So what does Doncic’s absence do in regards to point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and the ball handling duties?
“Dennis will still playing the same position,” Carlisle said. “He’ll certainly handle the ball a little more without Luka out there. But we have a style of play, we have an identity and we want to play to that.
“We want to keep the ball moving. Dennis has got to really constantly keep his speed in the game. That’s going to be an important factor for us.”
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