PREVIEW
MAVERICKS (9-7) AT LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (10-7)
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Place: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles
TV: BSSW
Radio: The Eagle, 97.1 FM; Univision 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: After winning five of six games, the Mavs have suddenly lost three consecutive games. The three losses coincide with the injury to superstar point guard Luka Doncic, who is suffering from sprains in his left knee and left ankle that occurred with 44 seconds remaining in the Mavs’ 111-101 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 15. Doncic went through the entire Mavs’ practice session on Monday for the first time since his injury and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. . .This is the finale of a four-games-in-seven-days road trip for the Mavs, who are 0-3 so far. At the front end of this eight-night long journey was a pair of games in Phoenix against the defending Western Conference champion Suns. The Mavs opened this trip last Wednesday with a 105-98 loss to the Suns, then dropped a 112-104 decision to the Suns on Friday. On Sunday the Clippers defeated the Mavs, 97-91. . .Guard Frank Ntilikina will sit out tonight’s game with a right calf strain. . .Following tonight’s contest, the Mavs will fly home and prepare for Thanksgiving. . .The Mavs will take Wednesday and Thursday off, practice on Friday and then play host to the ever-improving Washington Wizards on Saturday at American Airlines Center. The brief two-game home stand also will include a Monday night game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
About the Clippers: Paul George pumped in 12 of his 29 points in the third quarter during Sunday’s 97-91 victory over the Mavs. And Reggie Jackson had eight of his 23 points in the third quarter. . .Clippers coach Tyronn Lue effectively utilized the coach’s challenge in Sunday’s game. Mavs guard Jalen Brunson drove to left side of the lane and scored, and the bonus came when Terance Mann was whistled for a foul on the play. If Brunson would have made the subsequent free throw, the score would have been Clippers 94, Mavs 92, with 52.2 seconds remaining in the game. Instead, Lue used his coach’s challenge to challenge the call on the court, and after a review, he successfully won that critical challenge. So, instead of 94-92 Clippers, it was 94-89 Clippers. . .Forward Nicolas Batum is in the health and safety protocol for at least another eight days. Batum is a deft three-point specialist and also is one of the Clippers’ best perimeter defenders. . .After offseason back surgery, center Serge Ibaka played in a game on Sunday for the first time since Nov. 9. Ibaka played 12 minutes, was 2-of-8 from the field and finished with six points, four rebounds and one steal. . .This is the last time the Mavs will play in STAPLES Center. In a 20-year, $700 million naming rights agreement, this arena will officially be referred to as the Crypto.com Arena on Christmas when the Los Angeles Lakers entertain the Brooklyn Nets.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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