'An Unidentified Glitch': Mavs Continue to Wait and to Ponder Kristaps Porzingis' 'Knee Soreness'

'An Unidentified Glitch': Mavs Continue to Wait and to Ponder Kristaps Porzingis' 'Knee Soreness'

DALLAS - When it comes to the release of basketball information, the Dallas Mavericks work to have "one voice.'' Coach Rick Carlisle is that voice, charged with telling just enough and revealing not too much while putting his now-familiar Carlisle-style spin on Mavs news.

So when Carlisle says of the latest on Kristaps Porzingis "sore knee'' that "we’re hoping (it) was just an unidentified glitch''?

That's telling just enough. Revealing not too much. And probably a Carlisle-style spin on Mavs news.

The 7-3 Porzingis did not play Tuesday at Golden State, though his participation was initially part of the plan. Same on Wednesday at Sacramento, when he missed a ninth straight game.

And on Friday, with Portland in town, in what would be a fourth consecutive win for the 27-15 Mavs? KP slipped from "questionable'' to "out'' - for a 10th straight time - despite the coach noting that there's been “two-plus weeks (of) considerable progress.''

Kristaps tore his left ACL during the 2017-18 season with the New York Knicks. This issue is with "the other knee,'' and it's fair to assume the Mavs are simply being cautious with Porzingis, as they have a $158 million investment in a budding young superstar who, even through this season's struggles after being dealt to Dallas a year ago in 31 games is averaging 17.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Luka Doncic-led Dallas and Porzingis will give it another shot on Tuesday night when Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and the Los Angeles Clippers (29-13) come to the American Airlines Center for their second matchup of the season.

“We hope,'' Carlisle said of KP's knee while insisting there's not been a "setback,'', "this thing resolves.''

Of course, if "this thing'' is truly "an unidentified glitch,'' it would seem all the more difficult to predict a resolution - a view that isn't so much about impatience as it is about concern.