Dallas Mavericks: What to watch for in Mavs vs. Lakers

The Dallas Mavericks face the Los Angeles Lakers on April 22. It is the second night of a back-to-back for Luka Doncic and company. The 22-year-old superstar got the offense rolling as they topped the Pistons on Wednesday night.

Lakers fans will be watching closely as Anthony Davis makes his return at the American Airlines Center. The eight-time All-Star has not played since Feb. 14 because of a calf/Achilles injury. AD is expected to play limited minutes as he ramps back up for the playoffs. The Lakers have slipped in the standings without their two stars, so they will be excited to have one back in the lineup.

Thursday is the first of two straight meetings between the Mavericks and Lakers at the AAC. Here is a look at how and what to watch for on April 22.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers How to watch

Start time: 8:30 p.m. CT or 9:30 p.m. ET

How to watch: TNT (national), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles market)

Watch online: TNT Drama (national)

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers injury updates

Fans will be watching the status of Kristaps Porzingis closely on the second night of a back-to-back set. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle had this to say about his status after Wednesday’s game.

Maxi Kleber took a hard fall against the Pistons and did not return to the game. He should be considered questionable to face the Lakers. There is no official injury report because the Mavericks are on the second night of a back-to-back set, so be sure to check Twitter close to tipoff for the latest.

The Lakers listed seven players on the NBA’s official injury report on Wednesday night. Andre Drummond (toe), Dennis Schroder (foot), and Markieff Morris (ankle) are probable to face the Mavs. Anthony Davis (calf) and Marc Gasol (pinkie) are questionable. The Lakers ruled out LeBron James (ankle) and Jared Dudley (knee) for Thursday’s game.

Do not forget to check for updates on statuses closer to tipoff.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers storyline to follow: Can Mavs spoil AD’s return?

The Lakers have alternated wins and losses for their last 11 games without their two superstars. They have fallen to fifth in the Western Conference and are just 3.5 games out of the play-in tournament. If the Mavericks sweep the two-game set, the defending champions could be in a dangerous spot.

Every casual NBA fan will be talking about Anthony Davis’ return on Thursday. Can the Mavericks spoil the party on the second night of a back-to-back? They will need a massive performance from Luka Doncic. Dallas’ chances improve if Kristaps Porzingis suits up and can make life difficult on AD. The Unicorn could cause problems for Drummond and Gasol on the defensive end when Davis rests. Do not count out the Mavericks just yet.

There promises to be plenty of excitement as the Dallas Mavericks host the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans will not want to miss this contest, so please tune in and enjoy the show. Remember, it is only on TNT in the Dallas market.