The Los Angeles Lakers will play their final game before the All-Star break when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Dallas will not have rookie phenom Cooper Flagg, who is out with a foot sprain, but it will still have capable frontcourt players and big men such as Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell, Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington.
For the Lakers, Luka Doncic and center Deandre Ayton were listed on their injury report for this game. Doncic will miss his fourth straight game due to a hamstring strain, while Ayton was listed as questionable because of knee soreness. Ayton has ultimately been ruled out for Thursday’s contest.
Ayton has missed two of L.A.’s previous three games. In his place, Jaxson Hayes will start at the 5 versus Dallas. The fact that Ayton is out of action once again will likely mean more playing time for Maxi Kleber and perhaps Drew Timme.
Timme, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound big man who was called up from the G League on a two-way contract earlier this season, scored 14 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
