Naji Marshall Upgraded To Probable As Dallas Mavericks Update Injury Report Before Houston Rockets Game
DALLAS — On Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks listed Naji Marshall as questionable with the illness that has kept him out of their last two games. By Friday, the forward had been upgraded to probable for the game against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center.
The rest of the Mavericks’ list reads the same as it did on Thursday’s injury report, with Caleb Martin available and playing with a splint on his right thumb. Santi Aldama (right knee surgery) and Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis) are still doubtful, and Sergio De Larrea (right knee sprain) and Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery) are still out. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT in the first NBA Cup group-play game of the season for Dallas.
Naji Marshall Probable After Missing Two Games
The illness kept Marshall out of Monday’s 113-109 win at Miami and Wednesday’s 120-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. After he was downgraded to doubtful on the afternoon of the Thunder game, Dallas ruled him out before tip-off. Marshall averaged 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists over the three games he played before getting sick.
Martin missed the first four games of the season with a right thumb sprain before he returned Wednesday against Oklahoma City. In 13:49 against Oklahoma City, he scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and made 2 of his 4 3-point attempts. With Martin on the floor, the Mavericks were plus-8.
Mavericks coach Dusty May said after Wednesday’s win that the time off let Martin stop overthinking and play more freely.
“Other than he lost a little bit of confidence in his shooting, he’s always performed well when he wasn’t trying to do too much. He deserves this,” May said. “If we’re winning games this year, he’ll have a big part of that. He’s got a real presence in our locker room. He’s got respect within our team. Man, what a great guy to coach.”
Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberović Remain Doubtful
Friday is the second straight game Aldama has carried a doubtful tag. On Tuesday, Dallas sent him to the Texas Legends to practice as part of his return-to-play protocol, and recalled him the same day. He was downgraded to out before the Thunder game. Aldama underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on March 17 as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, and his last game came Feb. 4. The Mavericks acquired him in a July 8 trade after he averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 43 games last season.
Biberović has yet to appear in a regular-season NBA game. His most recent action came off the bench on Oct. 11, when Dallas beat Houston in its second preseason game in Macao. The heel bursitis has sidelined him since the preseason finale.
De Larrea sprained his right knee in the second quarter Monday in Miami while chasing an inbound pass. Two days before that, the rookie scored 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting against the San Antonio Spurs. Lively last played on Nov. 21, 2025. He appeared in seven games last season before a December operation that was the third on his right foot in a calendar year.
The Rockets, who are 5-0, are still listing Alperen Şengün as questionable with low back soreness after he sat out Wednesday’s 132-100 win in Milwaukee. Marcus Smart is questionable as well with a left forearm strain, and he has missed Houston’s last three games. Houston has ruled out Reed Sheppard with low back soreness and Steven Adams with a right soleus strain.
After Friday’s game, the Rockets return home to host Oklahoma City on Saturday night at Toyota Center on the second night of a back-to-back. The Mavericks stay at American Airlines Center and close their three-game homestand Monday against the Sacramento Kings.
