Injury Update: A Setback To Mavericks” Mavericks Star Player Luka Doncic Suffer A Knee Injury……
The LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks both entered Game 2 with a fully healthy rotation, but they didn’t finish Game 2 with one.
Tim Hardaway Jr. suffered an ankle sprain during Game 2 and did not return to play at any point during the game for the Mavericks. His injury happened relatively early, only within 6 minutes of playing time.
This season, Hardaway Jr. was averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 40/35/85 shooting. While his numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page for the Mavericks, his offensive contribution would have been huge in a series where both teams have looked offensively in the mud. During the 2021 NBA Playoffs against the Clippers, Hardaway Jr. put up 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists a game on 42/40/75 shooting. It’s very clear that against the Clippers, Tim Hardaway Jr. is a playoff raiser.
There were no updates from Jason Kidd or the Mavericks on Hardaway Jr.’s availability for Game 3 against the Clippers, but one would have to imagine that he’s going to be listed as questionable. Without Hardaway Jr. available, it left room for Josh Green to play 14 minutes in Game 2. While Green didn’t score, he had 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, and 1 steal against the Clippers in 14 minutes of play.
Game 3 between the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks tips off at 8:00 p.m. EST on Friday.
The Pacers have made things interesting against the Bucks, and the Mavs have evened things up with the Clippers. Plus, Tyrese Maxey’s Most Improved Player award and the state of NBA officiating.
A playoff series never truly begins in the NBA until the road team comes out on top. Through the first three days of playoff basketball, all of the home teams won, even though there were some very tight games that came down to the final possessions. Tuesday night’s playoff action was slightly different, with the Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks both picking up road wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers, respectively. In regards to the Pacers’ win, even more questions are now being asked about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury and his status for the NBA Playoffs.
Giannis did not play in the Bucks’ 109-94 Game 1 victory over the Pacers. He did not play in their 125-108 Game 2 defeat to the Pacers either. With this series knotted up at a game apiece and Antetokounmpo not progressing the way the Bucks imagined when the playoffs first began, there is certainly a sense of concern surrounding this organization. Internally, the Bucks still believe they will be able to advance with or without Giannis on the floor. However, the outside noise grows louder, especially after Milwaukee lost to the 8-seeded Miami Heat in the first round a season ago.
Out of all the teams in the league, the Pacers had the biggest turnaround from Game 1 to Game 2 in their playoff series. After scoring a season-low 94 points while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor in their first game, Indiana bounced back to score 125 points while shooting 55.6 percent from the floor in Game 2. The Pacers are a very gifted offensive team, and that has been proven against Milwaukee this season, as Indiana has scored over 120 points in six of their seven matchups against the Bucks this year.
Will the Pacers be able to sustain success as they take things to their home court with Antetokounmpo still sidelined? Over in the Western Conference, how does the Dallas Mavericks’ win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 shape what could eventually become a seven-game series? All of this, plus the latest on the NBA awards races and some questionable officiating around the NBA in today’s edition of the NBA Playoffs Primer.
