Almost half of the Mavericks’ roster incredibly were not available to play Friday against Portland due to an injury, an illness or
for personal reasons.
That includes point guard Luka Doncic (right ankle swelling), center Dereck Lively II (left ankle sprain), guard Dante Exum (right heel contusion), forward Grant Williams (right ankle sprain) forward Markiefff Morris (illness), forward Richaun Holmes (personal reasons) and forward Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation). That’s a huge chunk of the Mavs’ roster, to say the least.
When asked before the game if he has any players left, coach Jason Kidd had a wry smile and said: “Yeah, we’ve got a couple left.
“We’ve got to play the next man up. (There’s) a lot of injuries right now, but it gives opportunities for other guys to play.”
Kidd said he thinks Doncic is just day-to-day, but didn’t elaborate as to whether he’ll be ready to play in Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” Kidd said. “But he’s getting treatment now, and we’ll see how that goes.”
Until then. . .
“We’ve got to play the next man up,” Kidd said. “(There’s) a lot of injuries right now, but it gives opportunities for other guys to play.”
Injuries have plagued the Mavs all season to the point where they’ve started 20 different lineups. But Kidd doesn’t want his players stepping out of character just because injuries have impacted the team.
“We been in this situation a lot,” Kidd said. “This is the early part of the season and guys got to stay in their character.
“We don’t need them to do more. Sometimes when you do more it tends to go in the wrong direction.”
MAVS HAPPY WITH WILLIAMS: The Mavs are happy they were able to acquire point guard Brandon Williams, who they signed to a two-way contract on Dec. 28.
“It keeps the guys in their role,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He has played in this league — actually, with Portland.”
Williams played 24 games – and started 16 – for the Blazers during the 2021-22 season. During that time he averaged 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 26.7 minutes while shooting 37.2 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from three-point range.
That’s the only NBA games Williams played in before he joined the Mavs.
“Again, he’s got to be able to run the group and get guys organized,” Kidd said. “And hopefully we can put him in a position to be successful, too.”
BRIEFLY: Before the game, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said he didn’t mind playing the same team – the Mavs – twice in the same city in a three-day span. “I like it, I like it,” Billups said. “It allows you to get a snapshot of our team, see some things differently and make some adjustments here if you can to what we’re doing, what they’re doing. I think it’s pretty cool. I really do.”. .On playing defense against Mavs guard Kyrie Irving, Billups said: ”You can’t get discouraged when he makes shots. He’s going to make shots. He’s not just making shots on us, he makes shots on everybody he plays against. We can’t be unrealistic and think we’re going to get him to not make shots at all. We also can’t get discouraged when he makes some of those great plays that he makes. Stay disciplined and stay locked in on it.” Billups went on to say of Irving: “He’s one of the very best screeners in the league. I’ve always thought that for scorers and for point guards. When you become a really good screener, you open yourself up. But not only that, it opens your teammates up for opportunities. It’s almost like an assist sometimes. It’s a selfless play most of the time and Kai is one of the best screeners in the league. He screens with some physicality as well and you can attack mismatches that way.”
X: @DwainPrice
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