Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will miss Friday’s game at Houston with an ankle injury that occurred at the team’s practice Thursday.
It’s a major loss for the Mavs, since the 6-foot-7 Doncic averages 28.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. His scoring and assist totals rank fifth and fourth in the NBA, respectively.
In a 137-123 victory in Houston on Nov. 24, Doncic led the Mavs with 41 points (50% shooting) and 10 assists.
The status of starting backcourt make Tim Hardaway Jr., who scored a season-high 31 points in that Nov. 24 game, is also in doubt for Friday’s game due to a lower back injury. Unlike Doncic, however, Hardaway did travel with the team to Houston and is listed as questionable.
For Doncic, it’s the same ankle that caused him to miss four games due to a sprain in December, and he was visibly frustrated after the latest injury.
By contrast, the Rockets appear to be healthy heading into Friday’s game, with only the long-term injuries to veterans Gerald Green (foot) and Nene (adductor) listed on the team’s official injury report.
Besides the usual stakes of facing an in-state division rival, this meeting has added importance for both teams, since the Mavs and Rockets have identical 29-18 records and are currently tied at the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
Friday’s game tips off at 6:30 p.m. local time at Toyota Center in Houston, and it will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Neither team played Thursday, so both sides should enter on normal rest.
