Cooper Flagg and Klay Thompson were both out of action for the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday as they suffered a deflating 117-90 blowout loss against the Charlotte Hornets. That marked Dallas’ fourth straight loss, dropping it to 21-40 on the season.
Flagg missed his eighth consecutive contest on Tuesday due to a left midfoot sprain. The rookie sensation has been out of action since Feb. 10.
Thompson, on the other hand, was sidelined by a right adductor strain. The five-time All-Star sustained the injury on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He left the game and was unable to return.
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The good news for the Mavs is that Flagg is finally set to return. Dallas has missed the services of their No.1 overall pick over the past three-plus weeks, and his return is a welcome development for the struggling squad.
The Mavs confirmed Flagg’s comeback by officially listing him as available for Thursday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic. The 19-year-old will reportedly be limited to 20 to 25 minutes in his first game back.
Along with Flagg’s return comes some good news on the Thompson front. The Mavs announced ahead of Thursday’s game that Thompson has been cleared to play and will suit up against Orlando.
Thompson will make his return after a one-game absence. The 36-year-old, however, missed two out of his team’s last three games. Thompson was rested on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies, which was the tail end of a back-to-back set.
It is important to note that the Mavs play twice in two nights again. After Thursday’s matchup against the Magic, Dallas will face the Boston Celtics on Friday. Both Flagg and Thompson’s statuses for the Boston game will be worth monitoring.
The Mavs are in the midst of a six-game road trip. Thursday’s contest in Orlando is the second game on the trip, which ends on March 12 against the Grizzlies.
