LOS ANGELES — Christian Wood has had a huge impact on the Dallas Mavericks this season.
Acquired last summer in a trade with Houston that sent Boban Marjanovic, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke and the No. 26 pick in last summer’s NBA Draft to the Rockets, Wood has averaged 18.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. That ranks second on the Mavs behind Luka Doncic, who is averaging an NBA-high 34 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest.
Over the past two games against the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder, Wood scored 55 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, and converted 17-of-27 shots from the field and 5-of-12 from three-point land.
Wood scored 28 points, snatched seven rebounds and was 9-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-7 from downtown in just 24 minutes during Saturday’s 127-117 win over the Pelicans. He followed that up with27 points and a season-high 17 boards on Sunday against the Thunder in a game where he was 8-of-13 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free throw line.
The Mavs will definitely need a solid game from Wood when the battle the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. Dallas time at Crypto.com Arena.
*Luka Doncic has been upgraded from questionable to probable for Tuesday’s game with left ankle soreness. Dorian Finney-Smith (right adductor strain), Josh Green (right elbow sprain) and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring tear) will not play Tuesday.
*The Mavs defeated the Clippers, 103-101, on Nov. 15 in Dallas, behind 35 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals from Doncic. Also, Dorian Finney-Smith scored 21 points in that game.
*The Clippers are riding a season-high six-game losing streak after they lost at home Sunday to the Atlanta Hawks, 112-108. The Clippers’ last victory occurred on Dec. 27 in Toronto when they defeated the Raptors, 124-113, behind 24 points and 16 rebounds from Ivica Zubac.
*This is the second game of a five-game road trip for the Mavs, who opened this trip with Sunday’s 120-109 setback in Oklahoma City. After Tuesday, the trip continues with Thursday’s game in Los Angeles against the Lakers followed by a pair of games in Portland on Saturday and Sunday before the Mavs return home to host the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 18.
*Part of the Clippers’ problems this season has been their inability to keep their two All-Stars – Kawhi Leonard and Paul George – on the floor at the same time due to injuries. Leonard has played just 18 games and is averaging 17.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg., while George has played 30 games and is averaging 23.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 5.1 apg.
*After closing the first half of this 82-game season with a 23-18 record, this is the first game of the second half of the season for the Mavs, who have won eight of their last 10 games.
*Other players with above average production for the Clippers include Norman Powell (15.1 ppg), Marcus Morris Sr. (13.3 ppg), John Wall (11.4 ppg, 5.3 apg), Reggie Jackson (11.3 ppg) and Ivica Zubac (10.3 ppg, 10.6 rpg).
*Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points during Sunday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavs are 18-6 this season whenever Hardaway scores 10 or more points in a game.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (23-18) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (21-21)
When: 9:30 p.m., Tuesday
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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