Mavericks Fall to Clippers in Preseason Finale
The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up their preseason schedule with a 112-106 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. Despite strong outings from young stars Cooper Flagg and Dante Exum, the Mavericks were unable to overcome a balanced scoring attack from the Clippers.
Flagg, the Mavericks' highly touted rookie, led the team with 23 points, showcasing his versatile scoring ability. Exum, who is looking to carve out a larger role this season, added 18 points off the bench. However, the Mavericks struggled to contain Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who finished with 27 points.
Roster Moves and Injury Updates
In other Mavericks news, the team waived veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie on Thursday, trimming their roster ahead of the regular season. Dinwiddie, who was entering his 12th NBA campaign, appeared in only two preseason games for Dallas.
The Mavericks also received some concerning injury news, as star guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss the start of the season with a torn ACL. Irving's absence will put added pressure on Flagg and the rest of the Mavericks' young core to step up in the early going.
Looking Ahead to the Regular Season
Despite the preseason finale loss, the Mavericks remain optimistic about their chances in the upcoming regular season. Head coach Jason Kidd praised the team's effort and development throughout the preseason, and is confident the Mavericks can overcome the early injury challenges.
"We have a lot of promising young talent on this team, and I'm excited to see them continue to grow and gel as a unit," Kidd said. "Losing Kyrie is a tough blow, but it's an opportunity for guys like Cooper and Dante to step up and make their mark."
The Mavericks will open the regular season on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on October 24th, looking to build momentum and establish themselves as a force in the Western Conference.
TL;DR
- Mavericks fell to Clippers 112-106 in preseason finale
- Rookie Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 23 points
- Veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie waived, Kyrie Irving out with torn ACL
- Mavericks optimistic about young core, open regular season at Hawks on Oct. 24