The Portland Path Blazers will look to get again within the win column on Monday earlier than their mini-break this week. The Blazers will journey to Dallas to face the Mavericks for his or her twenty ninth sport of the season.
Portland shall be on the lookout for their second win in three video games, and so they have a superb likelihood to take action because the Mavericks’ prime participant, famous person guard Luka Dončić has been listed as questionable as a result of a heel situation.
Dončić missed the final two video games with a heel damage. The Mavericks went 1-1 in these two video games. Doncic will now make his return regardless of a bruised left heel. With the famous person taking part in, Spencer Dinwiddie and Quentin Grimes are candidates for an elevated function alongside Kyrie Irving within the backcourt if Dallas desires to facilitate it.
Dallas Mavericks famous person Luka Doncic is obtainable tonight in opposition to the Portland Path Blazers after lacking the final two video games with a heel contusion.
– Noah Weber (@noahweber00) December 23, 2024
Nonetheless, Dončić is not the one Mavericks participant listed on the damage report. The crew may also be with out three key gamers: Dante Exum, Jaden Hardym and Brandon Williams.
Dončić has been on a tear this season and finds himself within the MVP dialog once more. In 20 video games this season, he’s averaging 28.9 factors per sport, 8.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and a couple of.1 steals whereas capturing 45.9% from the sphere and 35% from three in 37 minutes of motion.
The previous No. 3 general decide has been an issue from the minute he entered the league, and that is still the case even in his seventh season.
The Blazers have two of their key gamers, forwards Dalano Banton and Matisse Thybulle, on the damage report.
Banton is questionable as a result of a hip damage. There’s an opportunity he misses his third straight sport with a left hip contusion. Blazers guard Scoot Henderson would seemingly profit from some additional minutes if Banton cannot play.
As for Thybulle, Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups mentioned final week that he had returned to capturing on the court docket, however had not progressed to taking photographs. contact. He has but to play this season as a result of an ankle damage.
Thybulle was sidelined all season, first as a result of his restoration from proper knee surgical procedure after which a Grade 2 proper ankle sprain in November as he intensified throughout his return to play program. Whereas Thybulle’s skill to return to the sphere in some capability is nice information, his season debut shouldn’t be thought-about imminent till he is ready to begin to take contact in coaching.
Extra blazers: Blazers guard impressed Chauncey Billups regardless of loss to Spurs
