On Monday evening, the Washington Wizards (9-43) will take on Luka Doncic and the Mavericks (30-23) in Dallas. Here's everything you need to know.
WHERE: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: Monumental Sports Network
RADIO: Team 980 & The Wizards App
INJURY REPORT:
WIZARDS:
Isaiah Livers (right hip joint capsule inflammation -- out)
MAVERICKS:
Luka Doncic (nose; broken -- probable)
Dante Exum (right knee soreness -- out)
Kyrie Irving (right thumb sprain -- probable)
Maxi Kleber (nasal; fracture -- probable)
Dereck Lively II (nasal; fracture -- out)
THE LUKA DONCIC PROBLEM
Luka Doncic is one of the toughest covers in basketball. On the season, he's averaging a whopping 34.5 points per game on .491/.380/.776 shooting splits to go along with 9.4 assists and 8.8 rebounds. He's one of a select few perennial MVP candidates. And just over two weeks ago, he had a gargantuan 73-point game against the Atlanta Hawks.
When opposing teams play the Mavericks, Doncic is unquestionably at the top of the scouting report. What makes him such a tough cover is his offensive versatility. If you double him, he'll find an open shooter or a rolling big man for a lob. If you play him straight up, he uses his combination of size, strength, and speed to keep you off balance and strike while the iron is hot.
Interim head coach Brian Keefe will almost certainly throw multiple looks at Doncic throughout the night. Expect some double teams, some single coverage, a healthy dose of Deni Avdija and Bilal Coulibaly, and maybe even a little zone if the situation calls for it.
DENI AVDIJA'S REBOUNDING
Deni Avdija is having a career-best season for the Wizards. The fourth-year wing is putting together all the aspects of his game, defending at a high level and functioning as a versatile weapon on offense. He's averaging career-highs in points (13), field goal percentage (51.5%), 3-point percentage (39.3%), and assists (3.8). He's also tying his career-high in rebounds with 6.4 per game -- a number that continues to trend up as the season goes on.
While the scoring has been phenomenal, the rebounding is what Keefe has enjoyed most about Avdija's play lately. After Saturday night's game when Avdija dropped his second consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound game, here's what Keefe had to say.
"I think Deni's shown some tremendous growth here in the last six to eight games... He's playmaking, attacking... I'm trusting him to make decisions with the ball and attack the rim. But what I like is his rebounding has been high the last few games. That's what we need from him."
Keep an eye on how Avdija helps finish defensive possessions by cleaning the glass.
SMALL BALL OPTIONS
Whether it's due to injuries, trades, or matchups, Keefe has been experimenting with variations of small-ball lineups in the Wizards' last few games. Periodically, Avdija and Kyle Kuzma will shift up to the four and five with Bilal Coulibaly playing the three. Then, any combination of guards (often two of Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, or Corey Kispert) can round out the backcourt.
While not always perfect, these small-ball lineups have opened up some interesting opportunities for the Wizards. Having Kuzma as the biggest guy on the court has allowed the Wizards' fast-paced offense to play even faster, getting up and down in a hurry and spacing the floor with five shooters. Defensively, these lineups are vulnerable to opposing big men and offensive rebounding, but Avdija and Kuzma have done a solid job of anchoring the frontcourt.
It's possible Keefe won't like the matchups tonight and will opt for a more traditional lineup featuring one true center, but be ready for a switch-up if he feels the moment is right.