The Dallas Mavericks will battle the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center. Dallas received a plethora of injury updates Friday during practice. Luka Doncic has been removed from the injury report, while Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II are both listed as questionable for Saturday's game.
Derrick Jones Jr. and Maxi Kleber are also both questionable, while Dante Exum has been ruled out.
Dallas will be happy to see Doncic return after he missed Wednesday's road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with an ankle injury. Irving, who's dealing with a thumb sprain, and Lively, who has a nasal fracture, also missed the contest. Luka's return will be important on Saturday, but the Mavericks need Irving and Lively to return soon as well.
When will Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II return?
Lively spoke to reporters on Friday and provided an update on his status. He revealed that he will undergo a procedure on Monday to “reset” his nose.
“Today I gave it a shot on being able to wear the mask and try to adjust it and feel like how it's going to be on the court,” Lively said. “We're still going to be trying to figure out what I'm going to be doing moving forward. To say this now, I'm going to be having a procedure on Monday to reset my nose.”
Lively is not a fan of the mask, however.
“Playing with the mask, I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy,” the Mavericks rookie center said.
As for a potential timeline, Lively said it will depend on how he feels.
Irving is hoping to return soon. His status remains in question for Saturday's game against the Bucks, but he was seen taking shots Friday, which is a good sign.
It's been a frustrating season for Irving from an injury standpoint. He's averaging 25.2 points per game on 47.2 percent field goal and 41.1 percent three-point shooting. His impact has been nothing but positive for the Mavericks while on the court. However, Irving has been limited to just 27 games played.
That's the primary reason he won't be joining Luka Doncic at the NBA All-Star Game. Dallas is more concerned about his long-term health than an All-Star snub, though.
Luka Doncic set to lead Mavericks vs. Bucks
Taking care of business against the Bucks will prove to be a challenge. With Luka off the injury report, Dallas will enter the game with confidence.
Doncic has performed at an MVP-caliber level during the 2023-24 season. He's one of the best players in the NBA, and Saturday will be a good test for him and the Mavs.
The Bucks recently hired Doc Rivers and are trying to catch the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee features plenty of star-power with players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on the roster, but their defense has been uncertain at best.
Perhaps the Mavericks' offense will enjoy a big performance and lead Dallas to a pivotal victory over one of the best teams in the NBA. For now, we will continue to monitor and provide updates on the Mavericks as they are made available.
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