Just before the New Year brings more excitement, the NBA schedule has made this Monday night even more interesting with the first Mavericks vs. Kings matchup of the regular season. Could it get any better? Both teams have recently faced significant setbacks. With Dallas missing their star player and a reliable forward due to suspension, while Sacramento parted ways with their head coach. This makes the competition feel pretty balanced. The Golden 1 Center will be buzzing tonight as they host their Western rivals. But before diving into the game, let’s take a look at who won’t be suiting up tonight.

Mavericks Injury report

For the past six seasons, thinking of the Mavericks brought one image to mind– the face of young Slovenian guard Luka Doncic. However, this season hasn’t gone as his fans would have hoped. The 25-year-old was last seen limping off the court against the Timberwolves, and reports soon stated that he would be out for at least a month following which his strained left calf is reevaluated.

The Mavericks star has already missed 10 games this season due to a series of injuries. First, it was his groin, followed by a troublesome sprained wrist. Then, a left heel contusion and foot issues added to his struggles. After coming so close to the MVP title last season, this year the road to that seems a lot tougher.

Next on the list is Dante Exum, who couldn’t start this season after injuring his right wrist at the pre-season training camp. He underwent a surgery for that and isn’t fully fit to rejoin so he would remain out. Dereck Lively II‘s name is also on the Mavericks injury report but the only relief is that he is listed as questionable. The 7-foot-1 center has been sidelined with a left hip bruise, causing him to miss the previous two games. The Mavericks will announce his status before finalizing the roster for tonight’s matchup.

Kings Injury report

On the other hand, the Kings’ injury list only includes Devin Carter. The 22-year-old guard suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder in mid-July. The two-way rookie has just debuted with the Stockton Kings, the franchise’s G League affiliate, but will remain out for this game.

Now that we have a clear picture of who won’t be participating in this exciting Western clash, let’s take a closer look at both teams’ depth charts to get a better understanding of their rotations tonight.

Mavericks vs Kings Depth Chart

Mavericks

Kings

The Mavs have been following an alternating win-loss pattern but still look stronger with their 20-12 record and the fourth spot in the Western Conference. However, the Kings have suffered six straight defeats and are struggling, slipping to 12th place.

Their matchups were quite neck-to-neck last regular season, with both teams securing two wins each. But what will happen this time? The Mavericks ended last season with two consecutive wins. Will Kyrie Irving and Co. be able to secure another one now that the Kings are out of shape? Or does interim coach Doug Christie have some plans up his sleeves? All your answers will be available at 10:00 pm ET. So, schedule your plans so you don’t miss this action-packed thriller!