Mavericks Roll Out Patchwork Starting Five Against Spurs

The Dallas Mavericks are rolling out a starting five on Saturday that looks like a random 2K generated lineup when you simulate too far into the future. Naji Marshall, Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford are getting the nod against the San Antonio Spurs.

This is the reality of the modern NBA back-to-back. You go from a high-octane 121-105 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night to throwing out a patchwork five just 24 hours later. Kyrie Irving is taking a mandatory rest day, and Cooper Flagg is sidelined with a shoulder issue, leaving Dallas to trot out a squad that feels more like a Summer League showcase than a regular-season rotation.

"Underdog NBA reported the lineup alert on Twitter."

If you are looking at the prop markets tonight, you have to factor in the sheer volume of available usage. Someone has to take the shots, and the sportsbooks are going to have a field day trying to price this island of misfit toys. Marshall and Risacher are going to have to initiate offense, which is a sentence that should terrify anyone holding a Mavericks moneyline ticket.

The funniest part of this lineup is that Christie is somehow starting despite dealing with a bruised shin that had him listed as questionable just hours ago. He logged 38 minutes and dropped 16 points against the Pacers last night, so clearly the leg is attached enough to keep shooting.

We will see if this makeshift crew can hold off the Spurs tonight. If Christie's shin holds up and Marshall can keep the offense from completely stalling, Dallas might survive the rest disadvantage. Otherwise, expect a very long night in Texas before they have to pack up and head to face the Miami Heat.