NBA Power Rankings week 12: injury fallout, OKC Thunder highs and lows

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OKC Thunder, Power rankings week 12: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the game on January 10 (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Dallas Mavericks. 13. team. 79. . 24-15. Previous: 12th

Dallas Mavericks:

Offense: (115.3) 1st
Defense: (108.9) 17th
Net: (plus +6.4) 4th

Games Week 12 (2-2): Won vs. Bulls: 118-110, 76ers: 109-91, Lost vs. Nuggets: 106-107, Lakers: 114-129
Games Week 13 (3 games): Tues at Warriors | Weds at Kings | Fri vs. Blazers

Kristaps Porzingis knee has kept him out of the lineup for seven consecutive games now with no definitive word on when he’ll be back in the rotation.

Although it’s smart of the Mavericks to exercise caution his absence is showing not so much in the defensive effort but more specifically in terms of rim protection and rebounding. The Unicorn affords the Mavericks more options on both sides of the hardwood and that is especially true for Luka Doncic who is missing a go-to scoring option.

This is most evident in clutch time where Dallas struggle. Rick Carlisle will need to figure this situation out over the last 43 games of the Mavericks season, particularly because playoff teams will load up on Doncic so with or without Porzingis fixing the Mavericks clutch offense could be the difference in winning or losing a series.

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