Luka Doncic & Mavs: Good Injury News? Dallas vs. Star-Studded Nets GAMEDAY

Will Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis play in the nationally broadcast game?

DALLAS - Facing the Eastern Conference-leading Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, the Dallas Mavericks look to end a four-game losing streak at home, possibly without their top two players. The matchup against superstars Kevin Durant and James Harden will be on TNT at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Mavs star Luka Doncic has in recent days been dealing with a sprained knee and with left ankle soreness but now it’s an injured thumb that has him on the list. Kristaps Porzingis (left knee contusion) and Doncic missed the same game for the first time this season on Saturday, which resulted in a 97-90 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. After a few days off, the depleted Dallas team is hoping Doncic and Porzingis will not be in street clothes on Tuesday evening. 

UPDATE: Dallas has upgraded Luka and Tim Hardaway Jr. (knee) to “probable.”

Dallas is sitting at .500 and hoping to pull off an upset at home before a three-game road trip. Brooklyn is coming off a disappointing 111-107 home loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. The Nets have yet to lose consecutive games this season.

INJURY REPORT:  Doncic, Porzingis and Hardaway Jr. (questionable with a right knee contusion) should all play. Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons) is out.

FUN FACT: This will be the first meeting between Mavs head coach Jason Kidd and Nets head coach Steve Nash, who were in Phoenix together from 1996-98. Of course, Nash also played six seasons in Dallas (1998-2004).

RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (11-11) VS. BROOKLYN NETS (16-7)

WHEN: Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. CT

LOCATION: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

TV/RADIO: TNT, BSSW, 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL)

ODDS: The Mavs are 2.5-point underdogs vs. the Nets.

PREDICTION: Nets win. 

NEXT: A three-game road trip for the Mavs starts with a quick turnaround against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT. 

FINAL WORD Kidd has gone public in urging Doncic to properly funnel his displeasure with NBA referees.

“It’s a lot of things, you know,” Doncic said. “I think J-Kidd, he’s got a point and I’ve got to stop doing that.''