Mavs vs. Nuggets GAMEDAY: Can Rested Luka Doncic Break Dallas’ Funk?

The Dallas Mavericks take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday night in what will be the first game of a weekend mini-series between the two teams. Luka Doncic is expected to be back, and the Nuggets will be without Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

The Dallas Mavericks begin their two-game mini-series against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at American Airlines Center. After an embarrassing loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday — a game where Luka Doncic was out due to rest — the Mavs hope to take advantage of a depleted Nuggets team this weekend before going on a tough three-game road trip next week.

Doncic is expected to make his return to action against Denver, but Dallas will be without Maxi Kleber (back contusion) for a second consecutive game. JaVale McGee (neck strain) is probable and Reggie Bullock (neck strain) is questionable.

On the Nuggets’ side, both Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will be out for this matchup due to being in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Aaron Gordon is listed as questionable with a non-Covid illness.

Although the Mavs are two games over .500 and still in the thick of the Western Conference standings race, their six losses have been excruciating, as all of them have come by single digits. Some of those losses have come to shorthanded teams as well. The Mavs have lost to the New Orleans Pelicans without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Washington Wizards without Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis and the Orlando Magic without Rookie of the Year frontrunner Paolo Banchero.

So … no matter who is playing, the Mavs have proven that the outcome of the game will depend on which version of their role players show up. Will they get an uplifting performance from a guy like Bullock, who nailed four big 3s in the fourth quarter of Dallas’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday? Or will it be like Wednesday when Bullock went 0-6 from the field with zero points in 33 minutes of play while being a team-worst -16 against the Rockets?

Doncic is more than capable of breaking the Mavs’ funk that continues to linger from Wednesday, but any ounce of help he can get could prevent him from having to take another day off in the near future. Let’s see how tonight’s game against the Nuggets unfolds.

PREVIEW POD: 

RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (8-6), Denver Nuggets (9-5)

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. CT

WHERE: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

TV: Bally Sports Southwest (BSSW), NBA League Pass

RADIO: 97.1 The Freak, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

ODDS: The Mavs are favored to win by 9 points.

NEXT UP: The Mavs will begin the last of their two-game mini-series with the Denver Nuggets on Sunday to wrap up their five-game homestand. They’ll then go on the road for a tough three-game road trip against the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks.

FINAL WORD: “I don’t think there is an excuse. We just have to be better,” said Tim Hardaway Jr., who led the Mavs with 28 points against the Rockets.

“We have to be better from start to finish – everyone. It is not an excuse. We have a couple of guys bruised and banged up, but it is always next man up. I think we will learn from this and keep moving forward. We played a good, young team. They played fast, but we should have taken care of business at home. We need to be better.”

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