The Dallas Mavericks faced a daunting task on Thursday night as they hosted the Miami Heat without a single member of their season-opening starting lineup available. A rash of injuries left the defending Western Conference champions severely shorthanded, testing the depth and resilience of Jason Kidd’s squad.
Eight Mavs Sidelined, Including All-Star Duo
The Mavericks’ injury report for the Heat game read like a who’s who of their roster. Most notably, All-Star guards Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson were both ruled out, with Irving nursing a shoulder issue and Thompson dealing with a foot sprain. The veteran backcourt duo, acquired in separate blockbuster deals over the past year to support franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic, had been shouldering a heavy load in recent weeks.
Irving, 32, was coming off a 42-point effort in 40+ minutes against the Warriors the previous night, his fifth straight game logging heavy minutes. Thompson, 34, played 34 minutes in his first game against his former team. The Mavs’ medical staff likely felt it prudent to give the veterans a night off on the second half of a back-to-back.
Doncic Era Officially Over
Beyond the All-Star absences, Dallas was also without any of the starters from their season opener back in October. That group was headlined by 24-year-old phenom Luka Doncic, the face of the franchise for the past five seasons. Doncic was stunningly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the February trade deadline as the Mavs reshaped their roster around Irving and Thompson.
The other opening night starters—center Daniel Gafford, power forward P.J. Washington Jr., and guards Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green—were all sidelined as well. Gafford is out with a sprained knee, Washington a sprained ankle, while Hardaway and Green were sent to the Lakers in the Doncic deal.
New Additions Also Out
To add insult to injury, a pair of players the Mavs acquired to bolster their frontcourt in the wake of the Doncic trade were also unavailable against Miami. Former Lakers star Anthony Davis remains out with a groin injury, while ex-Heat forward Caleb Martin is dealing with a hip strain. With virtually their entire preferred rotation out, Coach Kidd had no choice but to get creative with his lineups.
“This is life in the NBA,” Kidd said before tip-off. “Injuries are part of the game, and it’s next man up. We’ve got guys champing at the bit for an opportunity, and tonight they’re going to get a chance to show what they can do.”
– Coach Jason Kidd
Silver Linings for Shorthanded Mavs
Despite the dire injury situation, there are some positives the Mavs can take away from this stretch. With regulars out, young players like 19-year-old sharpshooter Dereck Lively II and springy center Dwight Powell should see extended run, allowing them to develop chemistry with the new-look squad. Off-season signing Christian Wood, the presumptive starting center when healthy, can use this time to expand his game as a facilitator and defensive anchor.
The absences could also allow Irving and Thompson to recharge their batteries down the stretch after carrying such a heavy burden in recent weeks. Both proud veterans have a history of rising to the occasion in the postseason, and the Mavs will need them at peak strength to have any chance of surviving the gauntlet that is the Western Conference playoffs.
The schedule lightens up a bit for Dallas after the All-Star break, so reinforcements should be on the way soon. In the meantime, Kidd and Co. will look to weather the storm, steal a few wins, and hopefully uncover a diamond in the rough or two from the end of the bench. Even amidst unprecedented adversity, the mission remains the same—get to the postseason, and make some noise once they get there.
