No one really knows what to expect Saturday afternoon in Dallas when the Mavericks return home to host the Houston Rockets after a five-game road trip.
It will be the Mavs’ first home game since their league-shaking trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers a week ago.
Fans upset about losing their 25-year-old, five-time All-NBA guard, have threatened to show their displeasure with the front office. Their outpouring of emotion has already included spontaneous memorials of Doncic jerseys, posters — even a coffin — along with profane graffiti outside of the arena since news of the trade broke late Feb. 1.
The team announced extra security will be deployed inside and outside the arena.
“I don’t know what to expect. I know Luka was so dear to every Mavs fan’s heart,” guard Klay Thompson told reporters before the revamped Mavs surprised the Boston Celtics with a 127-120 road win on Thursday.
“We’ve just got to win, and do it on a consistent basis, and give ourselves a chance to win the whole thing, and I think that will ease all of the fans’ pain and anger. It’s going to be weird, but that’s what we sign up for.”
Thompson led Dallas with 25 points and Spencer Dinwiddie and Naji Marshall combined for 42 off the bench.
The fan reaction isn’t the only lingering unknown for the Mavericks.
All-NBA center Anthony Davis is expected to make his Dallas debut since arriving in the trade, which also sent guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick to the Mavs. Forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris went to the Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to Doncic.
Davis has been unavailable since Jan. 28 with an abdominal strain. Center P.J. Washington missed his second consecutive game for personal reasons and it’s unclear whether he’ll return to action on Saturday.
The Rockets have lost five straight, including a 127-114 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Guard Fred VanVleet (ankle) and forward Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) did not play.
Houston, which is 17-10 on the road, is trying to salvage the finale of its four-game road trip before returning home for three games ahead of the All-Star break.
“The identity we’ve kind of formed was being a tougher team, an aggressive team and now we look like one of the softest teams in the league,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said after the Timberwolves outscored the Rockets 35-16 in the fourth quarter. “(We need to) guard like we’re capable.”
Seven Rockets scored in double figures in Minneapolis, led by Jalen Green’s 28 points.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd, amid the fan turmoil swirling around his team, is tasked with finding some roster cohesion with his latest additions.
“Our sympathy goes to the fans, and understanding they can be upset,” Kidd said. “But at the same time, as a coach, the guys that I have, we have to put them in position to be successful against Houston, and that’s all I’m focused on.”
–Field Level Media
