Dallas’ most significant reinforcement could arrive as soon as Monday.
The Mavericks’ Sunday evening injury report showed Kristaps Porzingis’ status updated to questionable for Monday’s game against New Orleans. The versatile Latvian big man has not played since Game 3 of the Western Conference first round of the 2020 playoffs against the LA Clippers due to a torn meniscus.
Porzingis and All-NBA playmaker Luka Doncic combined to lead Dallas to its first playoff berth since 2016, which was also the franchise’s first postseason appearance without retired star Dirk Nowitzki since 1990. Last season marked Porzingis’ first with the Mavericks after arriving from New York via trade in January, 2019. The former fourth overall pick averaged 20.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in a successful return from a torn ACL suffered on Feb. 8, 2018.
The Mavericks have earned a 5-4 record despite Porzingis’ absence, good for fifth place in the Western Conference.
