The Dallas Mavericks are flying into California on Tuesday to take on the troubled Los Angeles Clippers.
You would think that beating the Clippers, who have lost six games in a row, would be easy for the Mavericks.
But LA still has one of the best players alive, Kawhi Leonard, and a few great role players who could impress at home.
Plus, the Mavs might be without their most valuable player.
Status alert: Luka Doncic (ankle) present at shootaround Tuesday.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) January 10, 2023
It is being reported that Luka Doncic, who is suffering from an ankle injury, was present at Tuesday morning’s shootaround.
But he is still questionable for Tuesday night’s match.
The Damage Of Losing Doncic
It cannot be stressed enough how important Doncic is to his team.
In fact, the Mavericks are 0-4 without Doncic so far this season.
In other words, if Doncic doesn’t play then the Mavericks don’t win.
Doncic recently missed Sunday’s competition against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Mavericks lost, of course, falling 120-108 on the road.
Dallas is currently 8-2 in their last 10 games but they are only 7-12 in the 19 games they have played on the road.
That means it’s even more important that Doncic is back and ready to help his crew on Tuesday.
The Mavericks defeated the Clippers earlier in the season, defeating them 103-101 in Dallas when Doncic put up 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists.
He’s been doing incredible things so far this season, averaging 34 points, 8.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
The Mavericks are the 4th team in the West with a 23-18 record, mostly because of the hard work and explosive output from Doncic.
The Slovenian athlete may be on his way to his first MVP trophy but he is desperate to keep his team competitive and powerful throughout the regular and postseason.
NEXT: The Mavericks Struggle Without Their Superstar
