Western Conference Finals Injury Report: Mavericks vs Warriors

The No. 3 seed Warriors and No. 4 seed Mavericks were both able to withstand late-season injuries to their stars and advance to the Western Conference Finals. 

The emergence of young guards Jordan Poole and Jalen Brunson proved invaluable as Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic recovered and eased back into playoff form. 

The last time these two teams played in the playoffs, the No. 8 seed Warriors authored one of the great playoff upsets of all time by taking out the 67-win Mavericks, but with home-court advantage this time around, come in as -220 favorites to win the West according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Dallas Mavericks SIC Health Score - 92.7

The Mavericks’ season has seemingly ended multiple times already. Mid-season injuries to Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kristaps Porzingis hamstrung the team’s depth, while Luka Doncic’s calf strain in the season finale appeared to signal another first-round exit.

And yet, here they are in the Western Conference Finals as the healthiest team remaining. 

Doncic’s calf issues are miles in the rear-view mirror, as the 23-year-old averaged 32.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, seven assists, and 2.1 steals on 47.6% shooting against the No. 1 seeded Suns. He will enter the series with no limitations.

Dallas was able to replicate Hardaway’s production with the additions of Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans in a trade that sent Porzingis to Washington. 

The two mid-season acquisitions combined to average 16.7 points and made 27 of their 54 three-pointers, which accounted for 65% of their shot attempts.

Center Dwight Powell was one of only five players – along with Warriors’ center Kevon Looney – to play in all 82 games this season. Despite playing in only 15.4 minutes per game this postseason, he is a profitable pick-and-roll threat and is posting an efficient 63.3% shooting clip.

Golden State Warriors SIC Health Score - 86.8

While the Warriors are by far the most accomplished and experienced group left in the playoffs, they are also by far the most beat-up.

Stephen Curry seems to be fully healed from his March foot sprain – as the ProBasketballDocs expected by the conference finals – but Klay Thompson looks to be feeling lingering effects from his multiple major injuries.

Thompson will likely be a member of the task force that will face-guard Luka Doncic, a group that will include Green, Andrew Wiggins, Otto Porter Jr., and potentially rookie Jonathan Kuminga. Thompson is still a step slow on the defensive end after two significant injuries and 941 days away from the court. 

He is still putting the ball in the net, however, scoring 20.4 points with 4.5 assists on 45% shooting, second on the team, sandwiched between Curry (26.9) and Jordan Poole (19.3). 

Gary Payton II was seen at Warriors’ practice without a sling or cast supporting his fractured left elbow, but is still expected to miss the entire series, leaving the Warriors slim at the wing position.

Porter Jr. missed Game 6 against the Grizzlies with right foot soreness, but has gone through shootaround and practice with no limitations for several days in a row and is not on the injury report for Game 1. 

Kevon Looney was inserted into the starting lineup in Golden State's dramatic Game 6 win – reportedly at the behest of Curry and Green – and brought in a career-high 22 rebounds. 

If he does not start, the Warriors have also put Poole and Kuminga in the starting unit and closed games with Porter Jr. on the floor.