Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving set to sit out Mavericks’ regular-season finale vs. Thunder

Don’t expect to see Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving for Game No. 82 in Oklahoma City.

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd confirmed Friday night that both stars will sit out Sunday’s matchup with the Thunder. That means more time to rest and regroup for Doncic and Irving, who also sat out during a 107-89 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

The Mavericks locked into the Western Conference’s fifth seed with Friday’s result, meaning they’ll face the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers to open their playoff run. Oklahoma City enters the matchup with a shot at securing the West’s top seed after the Denver Nuggets surprisingly suffered a one-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on the road.

Doncic was held out against Detroit with left ankle soreness, while Irving sat with a sore left hamstring. Young players like Olivier Maxence-Prosper and Jaden Hardy saw and uptick in playing time with Doncic and Irving on the sideline.

A win and a combination of favorable weekend results from Minnesota and Denver would help the Thunder secure the West’s top spot. The NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin April 20.

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