The Brooklyn Nets and the Dallas Mavericks meet tonight at 8:30 ET in what one preview fairly called a “battle of walking wounded.” Both sides are short-handed. Both sides are searching for answers. And the final injury report, updated through the early afternoon window (12:45–1:45 ET), points to a bruising, grind-it-out game where every possession will matter.

Final injury report: Nets vs Mavericks, Jan. 12

As the clock ticks toward tip, the headline is simple: Dallas will be without star power, and Brooklyn is holding its breath on Michael Porter Jr.

• Mavericks: Anthony Davis (out indefinitely), Kyrie Irving (out), P.J. Washington (out), plus depth hits that include Dereck Lively II expected to miss the rest of the season.
• Nets: Scorer Cam Thomas is out. Michael Porter Jr. remains the swing piece after recent knee soreness and illness; his status has been in flux, with some rest notes in prior reports.

Layer these names over each team’s numbers, and the stakes sharpen. With Porter Jr., the Nets are 11–18. Without him, they are 0–7, and the net rating swings from -2.6 to -15.3. For Dallas, the drop-off without Davis is just as stark: 10–10 with him (net rating -2.9) and 4–15 without him (net rating -5.5). The Mavericks are 14–25 overall.

“If MPJ sits, where do the Nets find 20+ points?”

Why Michael Porter Jr.’s status changes the game

Porter Jr. has been the Nets’ release valve. He stretches the floor, hits tough shots, and lifts everyone else’s looks. The recent form tells the story: 28.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 4.8 threes across his last four games. For the season, he’s at 18.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, one steal, and three made threes per night.

He has been managing knee soreness and a recent illness. As one update noted, “Porter (knee) is available for Friday’s game against the Clippers… averaging 28.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 4.8 three-pointers over his last four games.” That availability doesn’t guarantee how he’ll feel 48 hours later, but it underscores his importance. The Nets’ zero wins without him this year say the rest.

Brooklyn is also light on pure bucket-getters with Cam Thomas out. If Porter Jr. can’t go heavy minutes, shot creation will come by committee, and the Nets will have to win the math at the arc and the glass. Expect more drive-and-kick, slower pace, and a premium on second-chance points.

“Dallas without AD and Kyrie is a different team — can they manufacture offense?”

Mavericks minus stars: Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are out

Dallas’ situation is straightforward and painful. The team is 50% in games with Davis and craters without him. Remove Kyrie Irving on top of that, and you lose late-clock creation and a go-to spacer. P.J. Washington being out strips even more two-way flexibility from the wings.

Davis’ counting stats — 15.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists — don’t capture his gravity. He anchors the paint, bends pick-and-roll coverage, and cleans the glass. Without him, Dallas’ margin for error shrinks. And with Dereck Lively II expected to miss the remainder of the season, the frontcourt rotation is thin on rim protection and easy put-backs.

The broader context of Monday’s slate flagged it plainly: “The biggest injury variable on Monday’s slate is Kawhi Leonard… Anthony Davis is out indefinitely, Kyrie Irving is out.” Kawhi’s status is a league-wide note and not part of this matchup, but it shows how bruised this calendar day is across the NBA.

Expect a slower, lower-scoring game

Both teams are short on natural creators. That usually drives pace down and shot quality into the mid-range. For Brooklyn, the math says they’re competitive when Porter Jr. is on the floor and stretched thin when he isn’t. For Dallas, the on/off split with Davis lines up with the eye test: fewer paint touches, fewer free throws, more long twos.

The Nets can tilt this by winning the three-point battle, especially if Porter Jr. plays. The Mavericks can tilt it by defending without fouling and pounding the glass to limit second chances. The first team to 100 might actually win this one.

“This feels like a rock fight — every rebound is going to count.”

What the reports say — and what still matters

Injury notes arrived in the early afternoon window, and they brought a few league-wide tidbits that frame the night. Two lines stood out, even if they aren’t central to Nets-Mavs: “Highsmith is nursing with a knee injury, and he is not projected to face the Mavericks on Monday.” And: “Williams is ailing from illness, and he is not expected to be active against the Mavericks on Monday.” These items reflect how widespread the injury bug is on this Monday slate.

Closer to this game, the Nets’ dependency on Porter Jr. is the swing factor. If he suits up and resembles the player who lit up the last week, Brooklyn’s spacing and confidence change. If he’s limited or sits, the Nets’ 0–7 mark without him looms large.

When and what to watch

• Tip-off: 8:30 ET.
• Latest updates: Injury statuses monitored and logged between 12:45–1:45 ET on game day.
• Brooklyn keys: Porter Jr.’s availability; three-point volume and accuracy; gang rebounding without a true rim bruiser.
• Dallas keys: Creating enough rim pressure without Davis; protecting the paint and glass; finding threes in rhythm without Kyrie’s drive-and-kick engine.

One preview summed it up: “Nets vs. Mavericks preview: battle of walking wounded.” That’s exactly right. It might not be pretty. But it will be tight, tense, and very revealing about which team can problem-solve in real time when the stars are in street clothes.

Final word: monitor Michael Porter Jr. up to lineup lock. His status is the biggest swing variable for the Nets. For Dallas, the path is clear — defend, rebound, and hope the by-committee scoring holds long enough to steal it late.