“It’s a new experience for me with this injury… Taking my time and just remaining patient” said Kyrie Irving in the aftermath of the recent matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The matchup came after the Dallas Mavericks star’s trouble with his back injury had caused him to miss 6 of the last 7 games. While the upcoming matchup against the Charlotte Hornets should have usually been smooth sailing for the Mavericks squad, the point guard’s unavailability may drastically reduce the odds for them. Fortunately, for both players and fans, there is some good news on the horizon.
According to the Dallas Mavericks Injury Report, Kyrie Irving’s name is nowhere present! This means that the 32-year-old is fully set to take on LaMelo Ball and co within the next few hours.
Irving’s availability is certainly good news for the Mavericks squad. However, this does not mean that the franchise is completely free from its injury woes. Dwight Powell reportedly slipped and fell during the matchup against the OKC. His condition was bad enough that he had to be escorted to the locker room. Later, Powell was diagnosed with a right hip injury, which caused him to be ruled out for the remainder of the game.
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Now, he holds a ‘Day-To-Day’ status, with no confirmation on whether the severity of the injury places the player in the ‘Questionable’, or ‘Probable’ category. The same status is also held by Jaden Hardy, who sustained a right ankle sprain during the Mavericks-OKC game. Meanwhile, Dereck Lively II’s recovery from his right ankle sprain may cause him to miss his 3 consecutive game.
Dante Exum hasn’t played a single game this season. He has reportedly made progress from his right wrist surgery but isn’t yet taking contact. Worst of all is the injury status of Luka Doncic. Having sustained a left calf strain during the Mavericks-Timberwolves Christmas Day game, the Slovenian star wasn’t scheduled to be re-evaluated for another month. His absence will surely be missed as Kyrie Irving might take the offensive charge against the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaking of the Charlotte Hornets, the Eastern Conference franchise has 3 players listed on the Injury Report. Tre Mann hasn’t played since November 21, as he continues to recover from his disc irritation ailment. Fortunately, given his current ‘Questionable’ status, the player’s recovery seems to be on the right track. Meanwhile, the torn ACL sustained in late November by Grant Williams is set to sideline the player for the season. Brandon Miller was the recent most entry on the Injury Report.
He sustained a wrist ailment during the recent Hornets-Jazz game. After an MRI was done, it was announced that Miller had suffered a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist. Due to this, he will be ‘OUT’ indefinitely.
In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineups.
What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Mavericks-Hornets game look like?
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The starting lineup for the Dallas Mavericks may look something like this:
POSITION | STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | 5TH |
PG | Kyrie Irving | Jaden Hardy (Day-To-Day) | Spencer Dinwiddie | Brandon Williams | Jazian Gortman |
SG | Spender Dinwiddie | Quentin Grimes | Klay Thompson | Jaden Hardy (Day-To-Day) | Kyrie Irving |
SF | Klay Thompson | Naji Marshall | Quentin Grimes | Olivier-Maxence Prosper | Jaden Hardy (Day-To-Day) |
PF | P.J. Washington | Maxi Kleber | Naji Marshall | Klay Thompson | Olivier-Maxence Prosper |
C | Dereck Lively II (OUT) | Daniel Gafford | Maxi Kleber | Dwight Powell (Day-To-Day) | Markieff Morris |
Similarly, given the update for the Charlotte Hornets, their starting lineup may look like this:
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POSITION | STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | 5TH |
PG | LaMelo Ball | Vasilije Micic | KJ Simpson | Cody Martin | Isaiah Wong |
SG | Nick Smith Jr. | Seth Curry | Cody Martin | Josh Okogie | Isaiah Wong |
SF | Josh Green | Cody Martin | Josh Okogie | Nick Smith Jr. | Tidjane Salaun |
PF | Miles Bridges | Tidjane Salaun | DaQuan Jeffries | Josh Green | Josh Okogie |
C | Mark Williams | Moussa Diabate | Taj Gibson | Grant Williams (OUT) |
With the Charlotte Hornets currently holding a 10-28 record, another win is a must requirement for them. While they possess the advantage of not having to deal with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving may be a challenge himself. How the matchup will turn out is something that remains to be seen.
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Can Kyrie Irving carry the Mavericks without Luka Doncic, or is this a recipe for disaster?
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Can Kyrie Irving carry the Mavericks without Luka Doncic, or is this a recipe for disaster?
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