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Will Luka Doncic Play Tonight? Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets: Preview, Lineups & Predictions

Published 04/07/2021, 12:00 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Dallas Mavericks are on the road as they take on intrastate rivals Houston Rockets tonight. For the first time in a few years, the Mavericks are above the Rockets in the standings. They are aiming to continue their winning streak, while the Rockets are desperate to end their miserable losing streak.

Date & Time: April 7, 2021, 8:30pm ET

Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

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Preview | Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are in superb form. The absence of the second-best player usually hurts the team. However, Kristaps Porzingis‘ injury hasn’t affected them negatively, and the players are only working harder for wins now. In their last game, they beat the Jazz, who are currently the best team in the league. That was a clear indication of how dangerous the Mavs can be.

USA Today via Reuters

JJ Redick (heel) and Willie Cauley-Stein (COVID-19) will miss the game again. Maxi Kleber (lower leg), Trey Burke, (calf), and Kristaps Porzingis (wrist) are listed as questionable for the game. There is a chance the Latvian returns, and that will be a big boost for them.

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Starting 5 for the Dallas Mavericks

Guard – Luka Doncic 

Guard – Josh Richardson

Forward – Dorian Finney-Smith

Forward – Nicolo Melli

Center – Maxi Kleber

Preview | Houston Rockets

It is hard to believe the Rockets were 11-10 at one stage. Since then, they have won just two games and lost 27. The absence of Christian Wood, disastrous trades, and a lot of injury problems are to blame for this mess. They are currently on a five-game losing streak, and another loss will give them the worst record in the NBA.

USA Today via Reuters

David Nwaba, Eric Gordon, Dante Exum, Danuel House Jr, and Armani Brooks are all out for tonight’s game. Meanwhile, Avery Bradley, DaQuan Jeffries, and John Wall are listed as questionable. That is a huge injury list, and coach Stephen Silas will be worried about team selection.

Starting 5 for the Houston Rockets

Guard – Avery Bradley

Guard – Kevin Porter Jr

Forward – Jae’Sean Tate

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Forward – Christian Wood

Center – Kelly Olynyk

Predictions | Mavericks vs Rockets

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The Mavericks are likely to breeze past the Rockets tonight. They had a surprising loss to them earlier in the season, so the Mavs will be more careful this time. They will still be the favorites to get their 29th win of the season, as they aim to climb the Western Conference standings.

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Written by:

Aaron Mathew

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Aaron Mathew is a sports analyst at EssentiallySports. A graduate in Mass Media from Xavier’s College, Aaron has been a part of EssentiallySports since May 2020 where he covers both NBA and NCAA basketball news, and has also covered NBA 2K. In the past, Aaron has worked at the Sports Desk of Mumbai Mirror.
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