Mavericks-Jazz preview: Still shorthanded, but Wood to return

SALT LAKE CITY – The NBA schedule waits for no one.

The Mavericks will be even more shorthanded Monday night against the Utah Jazz than they were Saturday against Golden State, when Luka Dončić, Christian Wood, Maxi Kleber and Davis Bertans were out with injuries.

They’ll get Wood back against the Jazz after he missed eight games with a fracture in his left thumb.

But Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith will not be with the team, so the Mavericks will be missing five of their prime players. In addition, Frank Ntilikina is questionable with an illness.

Wood’s return is much-needed. He said after the Mavericks’ shootaround Monday morning at Vivint Arena that he was ready to roll against the Jazz.

“Great, hell yeah, can’t wait,” Wood said regarding how he feels and his availability for Monday’s game.

Wood injured the thumb against Atlanta when Hawks’ forward John Collins slapped down on his hand.

“That’s when I hurt it the first time,” Wood said. “Then I tried to go for a dunk later in the game and I re-hurt it again, making it 10 times worse.”

Wood’s return will be welcomed because the Mavericks may only have 11 healthy bodies tonight. Wood will help Dwight Powell man the inside positions.

“We need everybody we can get right now,” Wood said.

Missing many key players and having a shorter bench is not ideal in the altitude of Utah, particularly when you’re going against one of the teams hot on your heels in the Western Conference standings.

But their five-game trip continues nonetheless. And the Mavericks know that all of these games will be crucial for the standings and potential tiebreakers down the stretch.

“Everybody’s bunched up in the Western Conference,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You can go from fourth to 10^th (in a flash). It’ll make for exciting basketball after the break.

“The playoffs will arrive early. I think the league and the players will be up for that. Each game and possession will mean something after the break, which doesn’t happen a lot of times. A lot of times, you’ll have four teams clinch and they’re trying to stay healthy and get a rhythm before the playoffs start. But I think the playoffs are going to arrive a little earlier than normal.”

Maybe even before the All-Star break if the Mavericks can beat the odds and overcome their shorthanded state against the Jazz.

Here’s what else to look for Monday night:

• They will be without Dončić for the second consecutive game after he suffered a right heel contusion against New Orleans on Thursday. The Mavericks technically are 0-7 this season without Luka, although they did beat Phoenix in a game when their superstar point guard played only three minutes.
• The Jazz have been one of the surprise teams in the Western Conference this season, led by newly minted all-star Lauri Markkanen, who is averaging 24.9 points and 8.7 rebounds. The Jazz on Monday were one of nine – yes, nine – teams in the West with either 26 or 27 losses. The Mavericks are one of them, too.
• The Jazz also are getting great mileage out of Jordan Clarkson, who has moved into a starter’s role and is averaging 21 points.
• Tim Hardaway Jr. has gone through hot streaks and cold spells as a three-point shooter – often in close proximity to each other. But he will never stop shooting. Why? “I have very, very confident teammates. And they instill that in me. I’ll be damned if I turn a shot down. I’m going to continue to shoot the ball when I’m open, continue to be aggressive. If my shot doesn’t fall, my shot doesn’t fall. Just try to go out there and compete.” He came alive with five triples (on 10 tries) against the Warriors.
• DALLAS MAVERICKS (28-26) at UTAH JAZZ (27-27)
• When: 8 p.m. Monday.
• Where: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City.
• TV: Bally’s Sports Southwest.
• Radio:1 FM, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).

Twitter: @ESefko