Luka Doncic, Dereck Lively II get optimistic injury updates for Mavericks-Warriors game

11/12/2024 02:51 PM

The Dallas Mavericks will play the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night in a road clash. The primary storyline will be Klay Thompson’s return to San Francisco, but Dallas’ injury updates will also be worth closely monitoring. Luka Doncic, Dereck Lively II and PJ Washington are among the Mavericks dealing with injury concerns leading into Tuesday’s game.

Lively is trending in a promising direction. The Mavs second-year center is battling a right shoulder sprain. He recently provided an encouraging update while speaking with Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

“Just got to see how I feel when I wake up, but it's been steady progress and I'm feeling good,” Lively said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Doncic is dealing with a left groin strain while Washington has a right knee sprain. Luka was questionable for Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets, but he ultimately played in the Mavs’ 122-120 defeat.

Washington is not expected to play on Wednesday but Doncic and Lively could both be on the floor. So are Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II playing tonight vs. the Warriors?

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Luka Doncic, Dereck Lively II, PJ Washington’s injury statuses for Mavericks-Warriors game

Doncic is currently listed as probable on the NBA injury report. Lively is listed as questionable, an upgrade from recent games. Washington has also been upgraded to doubtful, but he likely will not play on Wednesday barring unforeseen circumstances.

As mentioned, Luka played on Sunday. The Mavericks guard scored 24 points and recorded nine rebounds and nine assists in the competitive defeat. The Mavs now hold a 5-5 record as they have yet to meet their lofty preseason expectations. Injuries have played a big role in their early season inconsistency, however.

Lively has played in only six of the Mavericks’ 10 games so far. Washington has appeared in only seven games up to this point. Maxi Kleber has also been limited by an injury while Dante Exum is out for the first three months of the season.

There is no question that this is a Mavericks team with potential. Dallas reached the NBA Finals a season ago and they made a number of upgrades during the offseason. Thompson, of course, was the primary acquisition. However, Dallas also added players such as Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Marshall has made a significant impact early in the year. Grimes and Dinwiddie are still trying to find their groove. If they can step up then Dallas’ bench will take a massive step forward. Marshall, meanwhile, is making a case to remain in the starting lineup, as he has started amid the Mavericks’ plethora of injuries.

The Mavs will be an interesting team to follow throughout the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. They are beginning to get healthy, so perhaps they will start playing with overall consistency.

For now, when it comes to the question of if Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II are playing tonight vs. the Warriors, the answer is uncertain.

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