Last night’s win by the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Utah Jazz nearly doomed the Dallas Mavericks to a season without a post-season. To overtake OKC, the Mavs would have to win their last two games of the season against the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, hoping meanwhile that the Thunder lose in their last contest against the Memphis Grizzlies who are now certain of second place and have nothing left to ask. There were rumors in recent days that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would miss all the remaining three games because Dallas would try to keep its Draft pick, which would end up in New York if the Play-in is won.
Eventually they both played in the win over Sacramento that kept the team “alive.” Breaking news, though, Irving will miss tonight’s game against Chicago per “recovering from foot injury” suffered in recent weeks and from which he returned on March 15. Along with him Tim Hardaway Jr, Josh Green and Christian Wood will also be kept at rest., while also Maxi Kleber will be out per “recovering from muscle injury” for which he missed over a month, returning in late February. In short, the Mavs seem to have thrown in the towel, Doncic against the Bulls will be on the court (he is “probable”), but the chances of seeing Dallas in the Play-in are almost zero.
Kyrie Irving (right foot injury recovery), Josh Green (rest), Tim Hardaway Jr. (left ankle soreness), Maxi Kleber (right hamstring injury recovery) and Christian Wood (rest) will all miss tonight’s game against the Bulls.
– Mavs PR (@MavsPR) April 7, 2023