Dallas Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr. (groin) out vs. Bulls: Who steps up?

Dallas Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr. (groin) out vs. Bulls: Who steps up?

The Dallas Mavericks are facing a difficult stretch. Josh Richardson, Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, and Dwight Powell have all missed time in the league’s health and safety protocols. Missing five key rotation players is never easy, but the Mavs have still managed to pick up wins. Tim Hardaway Jr. has stepped up and averaged over 25 points per game in his last three contests.

Things went from bad to worse for the Mavs on Sunday afternoon. Hardaway Jr. was ruled out against the Bulls with a groin injury making it six key rotation players on the sidelines. The Mavericks are hopeful it is not a serious issue, and THJ can return in short order.

Who steps up with Hardaway Jr. out? How do the short-handed Mavs adjust? Let us take a closer look.

Who steps up for the Dallas Mavericks with Tim Hardaway Jr. out?

The Mavs are extremely thin on the wing on Sunday afternoon. Dallas will have to play bigger and use their rookies against the Bulls. Luka Doncic and Trey Burke figure to do the heavy lifting at the guard spots. The Mavericks are starting Wesley Iwundu and Josh Green next to Doncic. The remaining backup minutes will have to be handled by Tyrell Terry, Tyler Bey, or Nate Hinton.

Sunday’s game could be an opportunity for a young rookie to get some NBA minutes. Terry played well against the Bucks. He could be the one in line for serious run on Jan. 17.

The Mavs will need monster production from Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis to top the Bulls on Sunday afternoon. They play again on Monday night in Tampa against the Toronto Raptors. Fans should consider Tim Hardaway Jr. questionable at best for that game. Do not be surprised to see KP rested too. It is a difficult stretch. Stay tuned to see how the Dallas Mavericks respond.