Tim MacMahon: Kristaps Porzingis will be on a minutes restriction in his return after missing an extended stretch due to right knee soreness, but Rick Carlisle declined to reveal the specific limit.
Rick Carlisle Rumors
Brad Townsend: Carlisle says “we’ve got to win ourselves out of the play-in; that hasn’t officially happened yet. A lot of people are making assumptions. I like our position . . but we’ve got to bring it to the finish line.” Says Portland/Lakers “probably are unlikely to lose.”
Dwain Price: Carlisle said Porzingis won’t play tomorrow against Memphis, but he’s hopeful he can play Wednesday against New Orleans. “The good news is he’s feeling better and he’s getting close,” Carlisle said. Porzingis has missed the last 6 games with soreness in his right knee.
Also, depending how the regular-season’s final five games play out, the title could prove useful because it would be the first tie-breaker should Dallas find itself in a three-way tie. “Listen, I think it’s something that’s always worthwhile,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of the division title. “It shows that you’re the best team in your region of the league… It’s big. It’s big and we’ll take it.”
