WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs. LA Clippers WHAT: Dennis Smith Jr. returns to the team WHEN: 7:30 P.M. CT WHERE: American Airlines Center HOW: FOX Sports Southwest or League Pass THE STORY: Dallas plays the second night of a back-to-back after losing the front end in Milwaukee. Dennis Smith Jr. returns to the team after being being out for a week with what the team called a stomach illness. Carlisle announced in his pregame press conference that Smith Jr. will start the game. This game will definitely be interesting.<doc-sep>Game Information Where: American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX When: 5:30 p.m. PST How to Watch: Fox Sports Prime Ticket How to Listen: AM 570 Projected Starting Lineups LA Clippers: Patrick Beverley, Avery Bradley, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tobias Harris, Montrezl Harrell Dallas Mavericks: Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews, Luka Doncic, Harrison Barnes, DeAndre Jordan Injuries Clippers: Danilo Gallinari (Back) - Out, Lou Williams (Hamstring) - Probable, Luc Mbah a Moute (Knee) - Out Mavericks: JJ Barea (Achilles) - Out The Big Picture More than halfway through the season, the Clippers have a 25-21 record and are 7th place in the loaded Western Conference. They maintained a strong start to the season despite a difficult schedule, with some notable wins against formidable opponents in both conferences. A recent 5-game skid was snapped just days ago, coming in a much-needed win against a hot San Antonio Spurs team. The loss of both Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams (who may return as soon as tonight, however) will continue to force the hand of Doc Rivers into utilizing unconventional lineups for at least a few games, as well. In most of their recent matchups, the Clippers haven’t looked great at either end of the floor, winning just 4 out of their last 10. But there remain some positive signs for this squad. In the entire NBA, the Clippers are currently tied for 10th in Offensive Rating (with the Boston Celtics), and rank 8th in Pace, 8th in True Shooting Percentage (57.3%), 4th in 3 Point Field Goal Percentage (38.7%), and 1st in both Free Throws Attempted per game (28.5) and Free Throws Made per game (22.7). It is encouraging to see the Clippers ranking top-10 in a variety of important categories this far into the season, but it will take a string of well-rounded efforts and some extraordinary play by players used to getting far fewer minutes to make up for the offensive void left by the absence of both Gallinari and possibly Williams. Tonight is the second of four consecutive road games, and the Clippers are about to log a lot of miles in a relatively short span, with stops in Chicago and Miami looming. The Antagonist The Dallas Mavericks have had an interesting season thus far, but not for positive reasons as of late. The recent loss of guard JJ Barea to a season-ending Achilles injury has significantly hurt the team’s second unit, desperately in need of offensive volume and consistency. Further complicating matters, however, was the loss of Dennis Smith Jr., whose absence, initially attributed to illness, might have been due to a growing frustration about his role on the roster. The emergence of rookie sensation Luka Doncic, averaging 20 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, appears to have created questions about how the two ball-dominant scorers/playmakers can fare in the same starting rotation. It may all be much ado about nothing, as Smith Jr. is slated to join the team ahead of tonight’s matchup. The Mavericks have won just 3 of their last 10 games, and desperately need the services of Smith Jr. if they are intent on contending with the rest of the West. Just 5 games out of 8th place, a playoff spot is certainly still within their grasp. Notes Rebounding will be a key factor in tonight’s matchup, thanks, in no small part, to former Clipper, DeAndre Jordan. In the first matchup between these two teams, on December 2nd in Dallas, Jordan posted 23 rebounds in 34 minutes of play, including 6 offensive boards. That night, the Clippers were out-rebounded 67-48 and lost by just 4 points. During the most recent matchup between the two teams, on December 20th in Los Angeles, Jordan posted 22 rebounds in 33 minutes of play; while he put up equally staggering numbers in their second matchup, the Clippers won by 4, getting out-rebounded 54-45 as a team. While many factors were at play, cutting the Mavs’ rebounding advantage by more than half was a crucial component in snagging the win. If the Clippers can remain aggressive on the glass and prevent second-chance opportunities by the Mavs, they will create a significant advantage for themselves. Tobias Harris (27 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers) and Patrick Beverley (18 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 1 block) had stellar performances against the Spurs on Sunday evening, but it’s unreasonable to expect that kind of perfection going forward. They will undoubtedly find ways to contribute positively even if shots aren’t falling, but they, along with Avery Bradley, each tallied 40-plus minutes in the win. Doc will need to be able to trust his second unit when guys like Harris, Beverley, and Montrezl Harrell are on the bench. Tonight is the second night of a back-to-back for the Mavs, coming off a double-digit loss against the Bucks in Milwaukee. Fatigue will likely be a factor in tonight’s game, so it will be crucial for the Clippers to dictate the pace as much as possible. If they can play fast and play downhill, the Clippers will put themselves in great position to come away with a win and build some momentum without two of their best offensive weapons. Be sure to check out the Mavericks perspective over at Mavs Moneyball.<doc-sep>Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. will rejoin the Dallas Mavericks for Tuesday's home game against the LA Clippers, coach Rick Carlisle announced on Sunday. Carlisle informed the team about Smith's pending return at Sunday's practice in Milwaukee. "I am excited to announce Dennis Smith Jr. will rejoin the team on Tuesday," Carlisle said in a short statement. "Dennis and I spoke at length today. He is feeling better and plans to resume workouts in preparation for his return. There will be no further updates until Tuesday." Carlisle stressed Smith's value to the team and encouraged Mavericks players to welcome him with open arms, sources said. Smith has missed the last five games -- three officially due to back soreness and an illness cited by the team as the reason for the last two -- as reports swirled about the Mavs shopping him in the trade market. He will also miss Monday's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, right, believes Dennis Smith Jr.'s absence from the team has been a "business-type situation." David Zalubowski/AP Photo Carlisle acknowledged Friday that "business stuff" has kept Smith, a 2017 lottery pick who sources say has made it clear he would like to be traded, away from the team. "I don't know exactly what's going on, but I know one thing: This kid is a team guy, and he loves being with his teammates, and he really respects his teammates," Carlisle said during his weekly appearance on 103.3 FM ESPN in Dallas. "This is just my feeling, is that he's being told to stay away for whatever reason. I just don't want people out there to think he is snubbing the Mavs or anything like that. This is just my opinion, I believe there's business stuff going on, and he's being told to stay away. Listen, if that's what they feel in his best interests, he should trust his advisors. But it's unlike him not to want to be with his teammates. "I do feel strongly that people should not look at Dennis in this situation now and judge him harshly, that he's doing something against his teammates or the Mavs or anything like that. I just think this is a business type situation, and this is what he's being advised to do." The Mavs have been adamant that they won't trade Smith unless they get good value in return and have not received any offers they consider tempting, sources said. Smith's frustration, according to sources, stems from his diminished role with rookie star Luka Doncic emerging as Dallas' primary playmaker and friction with Carlisle. Several team sources have downplayed the issues regarding Carlisle's relationship with Smith, saying it's a typical case of a coach being demanding of a talented young player. That's how Carlisle characterized the dynamic between Smith and him, praising the 21-year-old point guard for the progress he has made in his second season. "I do coach him hard," Carlisle said Friday during his radio show. "The guys with the best levels of ability deserve to be coached the hardest, because they're the ones that have the chance for true greatness. I would not disrespect any player like Dennis Smith Jr. by holding back and not doing everything possible to bring out the best in him. I have that kind of respect for him and his ability." Smith is averaging 12.6 points, 3.9 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game, down from 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game during his second-team All-Rookie campaign. However, his shooting percentages have improved significantly, and he has made major strides as a defender, highlighted by win-saving stops against All-Star candidates Tobias Harris and Paul George. Carlisle acknowledged that Smith has had some difficulty adjusting to the new dynamics created by the 19-year-old Doncic's rapid ascent to stardom. While Doncic and Smith have developed a friendship and frequently hang out together, they have struggled to create on-court chemistry, a factor in Smith's future with the Mavs being murky. The Mavs' offense has sputtered with Smith and Doncic on the floor together, scoring only 100.9 points per 100 possessions in 687 minutes, which would rank last in the league. The Mavs average 108.3 points per 100 possessions overall. Asked Friday if he was confident that Smith could still be a long-term piece of the Mavs' core, Carlisle took a short-term view. "Look, that's why we drafted him," Carlisle said. "A lot's being made of the fact that both of these guys need the ball. We've got a lot of games left in this season. Let's play it out and see where we are. I think that's the way to go."<doc-sep>
After losing to the Milwaukee Bucks Monday on Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, the Dallas Mavericks hosted the Los Angeles Clippers in Dallas Tuesday night, looking to break out of a funk and secure a victory. DENNIS RETURNS TO STANDING OVATION Dennis Smith Jr. was not having a great month of January, with trade rumors and tension between he and head coach Rick Carlisle boiling over in recent weeks. With no trade materializing and both sides realizing they need each other, eventually DSJ returned to the team and tonight returned to game action. The young guard scored 17 points, grabbed 8 boards and handed out 4 assists, with a familiar mix of flashy plays and head-scratching mistakes. That isn’t surprising, of course, especially given there’s surely some rust that needed to be shaken off, but it was encouraging that the team was able to get a win with Smith seeing a significant portion of the offensive gameplan. He missed a few gimmes around the basket, and had a few decisions with the ball that he’d likely want to have back, but Dallas is hardly in a position to turn away talented players who can contribute even if they are still a work in progress. Dennis needs time and the Mavs should give it to him. HARRISON BARNES BUSTS OUT OF SLUMP WITH SOLID OUTING It felt like one of those games where Barnes started hot, then kind of disappeared for a while, only to show up again late. All in all he finished with a surprisingly efficient line, with 20 points on 7-14 shooting, including 3-5 from deep(where he was under 30 percent in the month of January). For now we won’t quibble too much over the 2 rebound, 1 assist in 34 minute of his game. DEANDRE PLAYS ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF HIS SEASON, ESPECIALLY ON DEFENSE I don’t know what got into DeAndre Jordan tonight but looked energetic and ready to play, as the big man facing his old team put up 13 points, 16 rebounds, 5 blocks, 4 assists and 0 turnovers. He helped Dallas keep the Clippers cold in that second half stretch where they missed 16(?) straight shots. Some more games like this from DAJ would be nice. A FRUSTRATING NIGHT FOR LUKA IS STILL A PRODUCTIVE ONE Luka did not have the three point shot working tonight(he must’ve caught whatever had been ailing Barnes of late), and that frustration reached its apex at halftime when Luka tore his jersey open walking off the court. But Luka stayed with it and still put up a respectable 17-7-6, thanks primarily to 10 trips to the free throw line. This kind of sums up my impression of the game generally: the Mavs didn’t play tremendously well, but they stuck with things and put enough solid possessions at both ends together to eek this one out. The absence of the Clippers’ Danilo Gallinari also helped, I’m sure. It may not have been pretty but a win’s a win, and now Dallas gets two days off before a very winnable game Friday against the Detroit Pistons. See you then!