In the latest injury report, the Dallas Mavericks have confirmed the absence of three crucial players in the upcoming matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.

On Thursday, the Mavs declared Josh Green (elbow sprain), Maxi Kleber (toe dislocation), and Grant Williams (knee soreness) as ruled out. The team has decided to retain two-way contract wing A.J. Lawson with the primary squad, while Greg Brown III and Dexter Dennis will continue with the Texas Legends.

Grant Williams was newly added to the injury report due to knee soreness before the Mavericks’ impressive 50-point victory over the Utah Jazz. His status was downgraded from questionable to out, marking his first absence this season. Williams will remain sidelined for the upcoming clash against the Trail Blazers.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd addressed Williams’ situation before Wednesday’s game, stating, “I would say he’s [Grant] been dealing with it. We’ll get him some rest here, and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

The Mavericks recently concluded an extraordinary 12-day international preseason trip that took them across multiple continents, including stops in Abu Dhabi and Madrid. When asked if the team believes this extensive journey has contributed to the current string of injuries amid ongoing struggles with player health, Kidd dismissed the notion.

“No, I think it’s just part of the season,” Kidd mentioned before Wednesday’s game. “There’s always going to be injuries. There’s going to be sick days. You just have to deal with it and push forward with the next man mentality.”