Dallas Mavericks DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving put up both a season-high and his highest scoring output while wearing a Mavs jersey. The superstar combo guard finished the 128-124 win on Thursday night with 44 points on 15-for-26 shooting and added 10 assists, four rebounds, two steals, five turnovers, and six made threes in the process. Luka Doncic (ankle) ended up missing the game and the Knicks were coming into it as the hottest team in 2024. Irving was up to his usual magic tricks with the ball while scoring from everywhere on the floor. His usage and fantasy value skyrockets every time Doncic is sidelined, so fantasy managers will want to look out for that as the season progresses.

Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (heel) will miss a fifth consecutive game Thursday versus the Knicks. The 28-year-old is trying to overcome a right plantar strain. Exum had an impressive spell in the team before getting hurt. He has averaged 14.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists as a starter this season. Josh Green has stepped into the starting five in Exum's absence, but he hasn't been a reliable source for consistent fantasy value, and Green even went scoreless in 23 minutes against Memphis on Tuesday.

Charlotte Hornets forward/center P.J. Washington (foot) won't play in Wednesday's contest versus the Sacramento Kings. A sprained right foot held Washington to six minutes of court time last Friday, and he will not suit up for the second game in a row due to the injury. The 25-year-old stretch four will hope to get back into Charlotte's lineup when they start a three-game road trip on Friday against the San Antonio Spurs. With Gordon Hayward (calf) and Mark Williams (back) stuck on the shelf for the Hornets as well, Miles Bridges and Nick Richards should dominate the frontcourt minutes on Wednesday. Brandon Miller will likely be needed for more minutes at the four, with JT Thor also staying quite involved from head coach Steve Clifford's second unit.

Miami Heat guard/forward Caleb Martin (ankle) doesn't appear to be ready to return to the court Wednesday versus OKC, as the team continues to list him as doubtful on the injury report. He's set to miss a seventh consecutive contest with a right ankle sprain. Martin's absence and other Miami injuries have opened the door for Nikola Jovic to join the starting unit, and it looks like he'll remain in the role on Wednesday. The 20-year-old put in an impressive all-around performance in Monday's win over Houston and should be full of confidence ahead of Wednesday's action.

Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington (foot) is doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings. The 25-year-old missed Monday's matchup with Chicago because of a sprained foot, an injury he sustained on Friday in the first of consecutive meetings with the Bulls. It's a tough blow for Charlotte, who has been without LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Gordon Hayward (calf). Mark Williams (back) will also sit out another game on Wednesday, so the Hornets could be without a few big bodies to handle things underneath the basket. Of course, Nick Richards will remain in the starting lineup. But JT Thor, coming off a nine-point, eight-rebound, two-block performance, could see streaming interest from managers participating in deeper formats.