LOS ANGELES – Dallas Mavericks centers DeAndre Jordan and Salah Mejri, along with guard Ryan Broekhoff, all missed Thursday morning’s shootaround at the STAPLES Center with an illness.
The three players’ availability for Thursday 9:30 p.m. tipoff against the Los Angeles Clippers is not known.
In addition, coach Rick Carlisle said point guard Dennis Smith Jr. may not play in any of the remaining three games on this four-game road trip.
“DJ, we hope he can go tonight,” Carlisle sad. “He was feeling a little under the weather in Denver, too, (this past Tuesday), but I hope he’s OK.
“Salah is fighting it a little bit. Broekhoff is more sick than the other two guys.”
If Jordan is able to play Thursday, it’ll be the first time the 11-year veteran has played a game in Los Angeles against the team he spent the first 10 years of his NBA career playing for. Drafted by the Clippers on the second round in 2008 out of Texas A&M, Jordan signed a one-year free agent contract with the Mavs this past July.
Also, back on Dec. 2 when the Mavs defeated the Clippers in Dallas, Jordan scored 16 points and grabbed a season-high 23 rounds. Thus, the Mavs are holding out hope that he’ll be able to play Thursday and create havoc again inside the paint.
“I don’t know exactly who’s going to be available, but I’m hoping that DJ and Salah will be,” Carlisle said. “And Broekhoff, I’m not sure.”
Meanwhile, Smith said he doesn’t plan on playing again until his sprained right wrist is fully healthy. And as far as his status for Thursday’s game against the Clippers, Saturday’s game against Golden State and Sunday’s game in Portland, Carlisle said:
“I’m not ruling Dennis Smith Jr. out from playing on this trip. But at this point I feel it is unlikely that he’ll play in these three games.
“But he is making progress and he’s doing better. We just want to keep his progress upward and consistent.”
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