We’re in the endgame now. This is what the next month of [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.mavsmoneyball.com) basketball is going to look like after Monday’s devastating injury to Kyrie Irving. The injury-depleted Mavericks got bludgeoned 107-137 by the [Milwaukee Bucks](https://www.brewhoop.com), who were on the second night of a back-to-back and the game wasn’t even that close.
In a season from hell on the injury front, the Mavericks were so depleted that they could only field 8 players including their 2 two-way players (Brandon Williams & Kessler Edwards). Nine (!) Mavericks ended up missing Wednesday night’s debacle with newest signee Kai Jones (Left Quad Strain) & Dante Exum (Right Foot Contusion) joining Kyrie Irving (ACL tear), P.J Washington (Ankle Sprain), Anthony Davis (Adductor Strain), Daniel Gafford (Knee Sprain), Dereck Lively (Ankle Stress Fracture), Jaden Hardy (Ankle Sprain) & Caleb Martin (Hip Strain) on the sidelines. Even the hope of a positive March 6th update on AD and Lively is meaningless at this point.
The Bucks, despite playing on consecutive nights, came out scorching hot from the field and scored at will. They dropped 43pts in the 1st quarter, 72pts in the 1st half, and the game was never competitive. Damian Lillard was the architect of destruction on the night to start with, before Giannis Antetokounmpo joined the party with both superstars finishing the game with 34pts & 32pts respectively by the end of the 3rd quarter. Giannis also passed a major milestone during the game, passing the 20,000 point plateau. On the Mavericks’ front though, it felt like the whole game was extended garbage time to be honest, with the severely depleted Mavericks unable to keep up with the sheer amount of adversity they’re having to suffer through in a lost season partially of their own making.
Here’s a look at how the Mavericks graded out in a shellacking by the Milwaukee Bucks:
### Spencer Dinwiddie: C-
#### 8 Points/1 Rebound/6 Assists/4 Steals/1 Block
The worst part about this hellacious season is that if we want to be loyal fans of the Dallas Mavericks, we have to suffer 19 more games of this Spencer Dinwiddie terrorist-ball. Spencer seemed more interested in grifting his way to the free throw line but wasn’t even efficient on that front going 1/4 from the stripe. He finished the game 3/7 from the field and 1/3 from the 3pt line. He did have 5 stocks though, which is… Kind of impressive? Stuffing the stat sheet might look good, but Dinwiddie’s game was anything but.
### Cormac Christie: C
#### 13 Points/2 Rebound/1 Assists/2 Steals
The Cormac Christie hype-train has hit a major speed bump over the past few weeks as teams key in on him more because the Mavericks don’t have any other offensive options. He was inefficient all night, going 5/16 from the floor and 2/9 from 3. Hopefully, this rough patch can help him develop into something more because at the rate things are going, Cormac might be the only good thing to come out of the Luka Doncic trade.
### Klay Thompson: B-
#### 28 Points/4 Rebounds/4 Assists/1 Steal
Klay had the green light from the tip now that Irving is done for the season, and he did what he could. Asking a 35-year-old Klay Thompson to be the offensive engine of your team is only going to have one result. The Mavericks, though, don’t have any other option at this point. Thompson led all Mavericks with 28pts, going 11/27 from the field and 6/14 from the 3pt line. He finished the game a minus-30 – the second consecutive game that he’s had the ignominy of that statistic.
### Naji Marshall: B-
#### 22 Points/11 Rebounds/2 Assist/1 Steal
Considering the way he’s been playing the last few games, this was a good game from Marshall. He took full advantage of the start and seemed like the only Maverick to be able to score consistently. He even broke his 3pt shooting drought in the 3rd quarter and finished the game 2/6 from beyond the arc.
### Dwight Powell: B
#### 6 Points/3 Rebounds/4 Assists/1 Block
Did Dwight Powell play a lot of minutes tonight? Yes. Did Dwight Powell get hit in the face? Yes. Typical Dwight game then. That’s all we can ask for from the longest tenured Maverick on the roster at this point. He ended the night playing 25mins and was a team-high minus 8.
### Kessler Edwards: B-
#### 7 Points/2 Rebounds/3 Assists/2 Steals/1 Block
What more can you expect from Edwards at this point? He looked active in his 25 minutes on the court and stuffed the stat sheet, even hitting one of his two 3pt attempts. Considering his start to the season, when he looked like a deer caught in the headlights, Edwards has made an impression as someone who plays with energy. The Mavericks, though, are running out of games in which Edwards can take part in due to his two-way contract.
### Brandon Williams: B-
#### 14 Points/5 Rebounds/8 Assists/2 Steals
The one silver lining of the Mavericks being THIS injury depleted is that players like Brandon Williams get some more run, Williams played 34mins tonight and was the team’s 3rd highest scorer behind Klay and Naji. Williams has proven that he can score the ball when he’s gotten the chance and he did so here, going 7/15 from the field overall for his 14pts. If it means that we don’t have to watch so much Dinwiddie ball, then more Brandon Williams minutes please.
### Olivier-Maxence Prosper: B-
#### 9 Points/2 Rebounds/2 Assists/1 Steal
The last 19 games should be treated as summer league at this point, and O-Max Prosper should be playing as much as possible. He’s still raw and commits so many silly mistakes, but there is no reason for Prosper to play only 25 minutes in a game with no real ramifications in a lost season. O-Max did O-Max things. He brought energy and effort, but looked lost sometimes, which is par for the course at this point. His & Cormac’s development as young players on the roster should be the only priority to end the season.