Luka Dončić will be – again – on the sidelines when the Mavs visit the Clippers

Luka Dončić has been ruled out of Saturday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers.

It’s the second game in a row – both against the Clippers – that Dončić has been sidelined with a left heel contusion. Kyrie Irving, who also sat out Thursday’s Mavs-Clippers game with soreness in his right shoulder, will play in Saturday’s game.

Without both Doncic and Irving, the Mavs dropped a 118-95 decision to the Clippers two days ago. That speaks to how valuable both of these players are to the Mavs, who are now 5-2 in games Dončić hasn’t played this season.

“Obviously, they’re two of the best players in the world,” guard Spencer Dinwiddie said. “And I just think that organizationally we know what we want to achieve from packages with one or the other.

“So it’s different playing without them for the whole game.”

Irving’s return should help significantly in the Mavs’ attempt to tie this short two-game homestand against the Clippers at 1-1. However, they still need to find a way to slow Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who was 10-of-13 from the field and finished Thursday’s game with 21 points, 15 rebounds and five assists while being defended mostly by Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.

“Zubac is a big body,” Dinwiddie said. “He’s a force and he showed that (Thursday). He played well.

“He did well on the boards and obviously scored in the paint. It’s up to us as a team to help D-Live and Gaff in that situation.”

Here are some other nuggets surrounding the game between the Mavs and Clippers.

*This is the second game of a four-game homestand for the Mavs, which continues with Monday’s game against Portland and the Christmas Day game against Minnesota before Dallas begins a four-game road trip Friday in Phoenix. This home stretch started with Thursday’s 118-95 loss to the Clippers.

*For the Clippers, this is the second game of a three-game road trip. The road trip ends Monday in Memphis before the Clippers return home to host the Golden State Warriors on Friday.

*In Thursday’s loss to the Clippers, Klay Thompson scored 22 points for the Mavs, Spencer Dinwiddie had 19 points, seven assists and three steals, PJ Washington collected 14 points, nine rebounds and two steals, Dereck Lively II finished with 13 points, seven boards and three blocks, and Quentin Grimes added 11 points and five rebounds.

*Norman Powell (29 points, six rebounds), James Harden (24 points, seven assists), Ivica Zubac (21 points, 15 boards), Amir Coffey (16 points) and Kevin Porter Jr. (12 points) led the way for the Clippers in Thursday’s win over the Mavs.

*The Mavs are 8-4 at home, while the Clippers are 6-6 on the road. The Mavs are seeded fourth in the Western Conference, one spot ahead of the Clippers, who are only a game and a half behind Dallas in the standings.

*Despite losing Thursday to the Clippers, the Mavs have won 12 of their last 15 games and remain one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (16-12) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (17-10)

When: 19.30, Saturday

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV: KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream

Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

X: @DwainPrice