On Monday night, the Dallas Mavericks are set to face the Sacramento Kings in California, but the Mavs will be missing key players due to various injuries and health issues. Klay Thompson, a new addition to the Mavericks, has been ruled out due to illness, along with Luka Dončić, Dante Exum, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, and Naji Marshall. This leaves the Mavericks without four out of five of their usual starters, which poses a significant challenge as they aim to maintain their strong start to the season.
Thompson, in his first season with the Mavericks, has been contributing an average of 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. In the previous game against the Portland Trail Blazers, he scored 12 points but struggled with his shooting, going 5 for 17 from the field. Despite this setback, the Mavericks hold a respectable 20-12 record, placing them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
On the other hand, the Sacramento Kings are struggling, currently sitting at the 12th seed with a 13-19 record. As one of the colder teams in the league, the Kings will be looking to capitalize on the Mavericks' depleted lineup. The Mavericks are concluding their road trip with this game before heading to face the Houston Rockets.
