The Dallas Mavericks have won three-straight games to improve their overall record to 8-7 on the season. While this is not the early-season record Dallas expected after making the NBA Finals, things have been trending in a better direction recently.
This recent turnaround for Dallas has been aided by the strong play of Kyrie Irving, who has been one of the most efficient volume scorers in the NBA this season. While the same cannot be said for Luka Doncic, who has started the season shooting his second-worst career mark from the field, the star guard had his most efficient game of the season on Tuesday.
Not long after Doncic put up 26 points on 10/16 shooting vs. the Pelicans, the Mavericks announced that he would be sidelined for a stretch of games due to a right wrist sprain.
Via Mavs PR: “The Dallas Mavericks announced today that an MRI revealed a right wrist sprain for guard Luka Dončić. Dončić sustained the injury during the Mavericks’ game against New Orleans on Tuesday. Dončić will be reevaluated in one week.”
This injury will keep Doncic out when the Mavericks face the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. With Nikola Jokic listed as questionable due to personal reasons, there is a chance that both he and Doncic are out for this game.
The Western Conference standings are as competitive as ever, with the 8-5 Nuggets holding a one-game lead over Dallas entering play on Friday. Every game on the NBA schedule is important, but especially conference matchups like this one.
For Dallas, they will need Irving to continue his strong play. Averaging 24.3 points on the season, Irving has done so on 54.5% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range.
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