DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are preparing to battle the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second-round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. On Monday after practice, head coach Jason Kidd provided injury updates for Game 1 of the Mavericks-Thunder series.
Luka Doncic is probable for Game 1 with a knee sprain. Tim Hardaway Jr., who suffered a sprained ankle injury during the Mavericks' series against the Los Angeles Clippers, has been upgraded to available for Game 1 versus the Thunder.
Hardaway was seemingly on the verge of possibly returning against the Clippers before it was revealed that he had suffered an injury setback. The Mavericks have not had a game since clinching a first-round series victory on Friday, however. The rest over the weekend has proven to be beneficial for both Doncic and Hardaway.
“They’ve been great, they look great,” Kidd said of Doncic and Hardaway. “They look like they are ready to go.”
Meanwhile, Maxi Kleber and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are both listed as out for Game 1. Kleber is battling a shoulder sprain while Prosper is dealing with an ankle sprain.
On Monday, Kidd was asked about the importance of Hardaway returning amid Kleber's injury.
“It's unfortunate to lose Maxi,” Kidd said. “Maxi was playing well for us defensively and offensively. I think he was our best three-point shooter (during the Clippers series). But looking at getting Timmy back is a good thing. We're gonna need Timmy coming off the bench to be able to give us some offense. But also his experience of being in the playoffs is going to come into play. We're going to need that experience on the floor, especially with the first two games here on the road.”
Mavericks' Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr. on track for Game 1 appearances
Doncic played throughout the Clippers series despite battling the aforementioned knee sprain. He was listed as questionable or probable at times, but still managed to find his way into the starting lineup.
Hardaway, however, was only able to play in two games before suffering his ankle injury. As a result, he missed Games 3-6 against Los Angeles.
Hardaway has been inconsistent at times this year. With that being said, he is one of the better three-point shooters on the team. As Kidd mentioned, Hardaway's postseason experience will be important as well.
Oklahoma City was one of the best teams in the NBA all season long. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in an MVP candidate while Chet Holmgren enjoyed a strong rookie campaign. Finding a way to contain the Thunder stars will be a challenge for Dallas.
The Mavericks hold the experience advantage, though. Kyrie Irving has played in no shortage of postseason games. Even Luka Doncic, who is still only 25 years old, has plenty of playoff experience.
Jason Kidd has dealt with the pressure of the NBA playoffs both as a player and a coach. The Mavericks clearly believe he can lead Dallas moving forward, as they agreed to a multi-year contract extension with Kidd on Monday.
It is going to be a competitive series. The Thunder feature a high-ceiling without question, but this Mavericks team understands what it takes to get the job done in clutch moments.
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