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The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Dallas Mavericks on April 9 at 4:30 p.m. PT. The Lakers are coming off a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder just one day prior, but are still pushing for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers are entering the game with a healthy squad, and just three players are ruled out. Former USC Trojans guard Bronny James is ruled out with an illness. Lakers forwards Maxi Kleber and Rui Hachimura are also ruled out against the Mavericks. Lakers star Luka Doncic is good to go as he faces his former team for the first time in Dallas.
The Dallas Mavericks have quite a few injuries as they head into the matchup against the Lakers. Dallas forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper and guard Kyrie Irving are out for the season. Mavericks' guards Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum are ruled out of the game against the Lakers. Forward Anthony Davis is probable for the game. It will be a big matchup for Davis against his former team.
With the G League regular season over, James has made his return to the NBA. James saw game action with the Los Angeles Lakers throughout March as the team was dealing with injuries across the roster. James returned to the G League to finish the season. His first game back in the NBA was on April 6 against the Thunder.
James has missed a couple of games since returning to the NBA while being listed as having an illness. He played two minutes with the Lakers against the Thunder during their 126-99 dominant win. James finished the game with three points and one rebound.
Though James was able to play the first game against the Thunder, he entered the matchup on April 8 as questionable and was later ruled out of the game. With the Lakers having back-to-back games, James is listed as out against the Dallas Mavericks.
The rookie guard has not had a stellar season, but with an increase in minutes, he has improved throughout the year. James has appeared in 24 games, averaging 5.7 minutes and 2.3 points. He is also averaging 0.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.2 steals.
The Lakers' next matchup will be on April 11 against the Houston Rockets. With a couple of days off, James could make his return to the court by then.
While the Lakers have three players ruled out, the team is healthy as they head into the final stretch of games. The Lakers are 48-31 with three games to go. There are four teams in the Western Conference with 47 wins, making each game crucial for the Lakers as they push for the No. 3 seed.
Wednesday’s matchup against the Mavericks will be Los Angeles guard Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas since the surprising trade with the Lakers. It will also be Davis’s first time facing the Lakers if he is good to go.
“Of course, it’s going to be a lot of emotion for me. I really don’t know what to expect,” Doncic said after Monday’s matchup against the Thunder. “I don’t know what I’m going to feel, honestly.”
The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Dallas Mavericks at 4:30 p.m. PT at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on April 9.
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