The Dallas Mavericks’ preseason is in full swing, and they opened with a statement, a 106-89 rout of defending champions Oklahoma City. While several stars made their mark, all eyes were on rookie forward Cooper Flagg, who impressed with 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists in his debut. Despite the promising stat line, fans were left uneasy seeing the No. 1 pick log just 14 minutes. North Texas is again curious: will the Mavericks play Flagg tonight or protect for the season?

The former Duke sensation looked phenomenal on Monday night, but there are several question marks surrounding his fitness as the Mavericks take on the Hornets tonight. This comes after Flagg’s game time was restricted to less than 15 minutes against the Thunder. So, does that mean he won’t suit up tonight? Well, no.

Cooper Flagg is set to take the floor tonight, with his name absent from the Dallas injury report. His limited minutes against OKC were purely precautionary, not due to fitness concerns, and he wasn’t alone. Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and D’Angelo Russell also saw reduced playing time. That bodes well for tonight, as Flagg is likely to see an uptick in minutes against Charlotte. Still, while the rookie looks primed and ready, the Mavericks face a depleted roster, with several key players expected to sit out.

Dallas Mavericks injury report before the Hornets clash

While the Dallas Mavericks supporters will take a huge sigh of relief after hearing about Cooper Flagg’s fitness as he continues to improve, they do have a lot to worry about apart from that. The Mavs have a long injury list. This features the likes of Daniel Gafford and Kyrie Irving. While Gafford is questionable after he sprained his ankle in a recent practice session, Irving is completely ruled out due to the ACL injury he sustained last season. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Mavs are also expected to have several other of their stars through various injuries. Among them is Brandon Williams, who is on a day-to-day basis due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Dennis Smith Jr., Dante Exum, and Caleb Martin are all game-day decisions due to undisclosed reasons as per ESPN. Nonetheless, while it’s concerning news for the Mavs faithful, they still have plenty to look forward to as they face LaMelo Ball and Co. tonight, but where can you watch this clash?

Where and when to watch the Mavericks vs. Hornets preseason game?

Now that you know who’s in and who’s out for this matchup between Dallas and Charlotte, it’s only right that you know where to catch the action live in the States. Well, you can watch Cooper Flagg play on NBA TV, KFAA, and FuboTV. The game is set to tip off at 7:30 PM CDT/8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. That’s everything you need to know about this preseason battle, but still, one question must be lingering on your mind: Who is the favorite between the two teams?

Well, there’s not much to pick between the two franchises. More so, given that it’s an exhibition game, which further indicates that the result could go either way. However, despite all the injuries within the Dallas Mavericks camp, it seems like they will run away with another win tonight. This, of course, comes as a result of them having players like Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and D’Angelo Russell available for tonight’s clash.

Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean the Charlotte Hornets cannot cause an upset in Dallas. LaMelo Ball and Co. also possess some firepower of their own and will be looking to hand the Mavs their first defeat of their preseason stretch tonight. They will heavily rely on the likes of rookie Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton to earn them their first W of the preseason after suffering back-to-back defeats against the Thunder. Now, will they be able to pull off an upset? Or will the Mavs walk away with another easy dub? We’ll have to wait and watch.