Two back-to-back big wins and the Dallas Mavericks are back in business. With their 11-8 record, Jason Kidd’s men will now focus on making that 12-8. But there’s an added incentive. They can do it by brushing aside a struggling Jazz side who handed them an L earlier this month. The big concern for the Mavs this season has been their inconsistency. Finding themselves on a 2-0 run, that’s the only thing the Dallas side will look to hold onto going into Saturday night’s game at the Delta Center. So who’s suiting up for that clash? Let’s find out.

The Mavericks vs. Jazz injury report

Luka Doncic, who has been missed in the last four Mavs games due to a sprained right wrist, was spotted practicing with the team on Friday. So, tonight could be the night when the Slovenian makes his long-awaited comeback as he is currently listed as doubtful. However, the same can’t be said for Klay Thompson. The veteran guard’s left foot plantar fascia injury has kept him out of the last three games, and he will remain sidelined tonight. Meanwhile, Dante Exum continues to be out as he hasn’t yet fully recovered from his wrist surgery.

On the flip side, the Jazz’s injury list is looking lighter, as two of their key players could potentially rejoin the squad. As per Insider, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, “Jordan Clarkson and Kyle Filipowski are still out for tomorrow’s game, but Lauri Markkanen and John Collins return.”

After suffering a knee contusion in the game against the Spurs, Markkanen was sidelined for the following matchup against the Nuggets. However, fans were relieved to learn that his absence was not due to the injury, but because he had just welcomed his third child. Collins too wasn’t in Wednesday night’s lineup due to a knee injury but will be back in action along with Markkanen for tonight’s matchup against the Mavericks.

Clarkson is dealing with a foot injury, while Filipowski is sidelined with a leg issue. Utah still has a lengthy injury list, which includes offensive center Drew Eubanks, who is listed as day-to-day. The team will decide on his status after further observation. Whereas, Taylor Hendricks will require more time to recover after undergoing surgery to repair a broken right leg. The injury reports provide a clear picture of what the potential lineups might look like for both teams. To get a better understanding, let’s take a closer look at their depth charts.

The Mavericks vs. Jazz depth chart

Mavericks

Jazz

Regular season head-to-head

The Jazz who haven’t been in good shape for the past few seasons historically hold a better regular season record (109-84) over the Mavs in their overall head-to-head matchups. However, the Dallas side has had more success (7-3) in the last two seasons including this one. Despite their records, it’s difficult to make any definitive predictions for this Western Conference clash.

Both the Mavs and the Jazz will need to rely on their bench to compensate for their injury lists. However, the return of Doncic and Markkanen would provide a much-needed boost to their depth, something both Western Conference teams have been missing. Now the question is, who will emerge as the difference-maker in Saturday’s clash? Tune in at 9:30 PM ET to find out.