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The Dallas Mavericks will rest stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis on Monday in their game against the Utah Jazz.
Per Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Mavs listed the two as “injury recovery.” The report cites Doncic's right ankle and Porzingis' left knee. To recall, the Slovenian sprained the ankle twice this season. Meanwhile, for Porzingis, it's the same knee that sustained the ACL tear in 2018.
Mavericks will rest Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and Dorian Finney-Smith tomorrow vs. Jazz. Finney-Smith has been dealing with a hip strain. Doncic and Porzingis are listed as “injury recovery” for previous ailments.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) August 9, 2020
The Mavs will enter Monday with a 2-3 record in the bubble. The Mavs have clinched the playoffs. So the looks of it, they are looking to rest their stars in preparation for the longer and tougher haul. Per the report, forward Dorian Finney-Smith will also join Porzingis and Doncic in the sideline.
Doncic, who's just in his second year in the league with the Mavs, has been filling up the stat sheet in the bubble. In five games, he's 33.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 11.6 assists. His most recent performance was a 36-point, 14-rebound, 19-assist outburst on Saturday in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Meanwhile, the Jazz have listed star guard Donovan Mitchell as “questionable” on Monday against the Mavericks. According to the injury report, it's due to a lower left leg peroneal strain — the same injury cited for his absence against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
With around five games left in the bubble, those who have already qualified for the postseason are not looking to risk their players. While the Mavs aren't necessarily favored as contenders, some significant playoff experience is very much welcome for their development.
