Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) to play in Mavericks at Pelicans

The Dallas Mavericks were thoroughly dominated by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 29, and the contest got worse when Kristaps Porzingis sprained his ankle near the end of the third quarter and never returned.

KP’s X-rays on Monday night came back negative. The team did not practice on Tuesday but did a film session. Head coach Jason Kidd offered no updates on the Unicorn’s status for Wednesday’s game against the Pelicans. KP was listed as questionable on the NBA’s official injury report, and he did travel with the team to New Orleans.

Porzingis will play on Wednesday night. He moved around well during shootaround and even offered an update on his status following the afternoon workout. The Mavs upgraded his status to probable shortly before 1 p.m. CT before giving him the go ahead pregame. They need KP on Dec. 1 as the Pelicans present a difficult match down low.

Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) to play in Mavericks at Pelicans

Porzingis avoided serious injury and will not miss anytime. It is a massive plus, especially after fans feared the worst as he limped to the locker room on Monday night. Coach Kidd noted that there is no minute's limit against New Orleans.

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas is coming off a dominant performance in New Orleans’ victory over the LA Clippers. The seven-footer dropped 39 points, including hitting seven 3-pointers, with 15 rebounds in a massive double-double.

JV gave Dallas fits in the first meeting this season, and the Mavericks need the Unicorn to pull him away from the basket. Expect Valanciunas to post a monster stat line, but making him guard on the perimeter is the key to a Mavs win on Dec. 1.

Expect head coach Jason Kidd to monitor KP’s minutes closely on Wednesday night because the Dallas Mavericks need him healthy and in the lineup to compete against the West’s best teams. The 7’3 big man has already missed five games this season with a back injury.

Luka Doncic will lead the way against the Pelicans, and fans should tune in and enjoy the show. Be sure to return to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest news, updates, and analysis on the team.