Naji Marshall has been cleared on the injury report after missing time with an illness. The Mavericks forward is available for Friday night's home game against the Houston Rockets.
What happened
Naji Marshall's status moved to cleared on the injury report at 6:24 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 30. He had been listed as day-to-day. The report gives no detail and no comment with the change. The illness first put him on the report on Sunday, Oct. 25, when he was ruled out. Since then his status has changed several times. He was day-to-day on Tuesday, Oct. 27, out on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and day-to-day again on Thursday, Oct. 29. Friday's update ends that run.
What it means for the Mavericks
Dallas hosts Houston at 8 p.m. ET on Friday. The Mavericks are 3-2, seventh in the West, and have won two straight. Marshall has played three games, averaging 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 27.7 minutes. Dallas is 1-2 with him and 2-0 without him. In the games he missed, P.J. Washington averaged 33.4 minutes and 16.0 points. Cooper Flagg averaged 30.6 minutes and 25.3 points, and Zaccharie Risacher played 29.8 minutes. Max Christie, Kyrie Irving and Marcus Sasser also filled minutes on the wing. Tarik Biberovic, Dereck Lively II, Sergio de Larrea and Santi Aldama are all listed as out.
What to watch
The question now is how many minutes Marshall gets in his first game back and whose role shrinks as a result. Washington, Risacher and Christie took on more work while he was out. No minutes limit has been announced. Watch the next injury report for any change to his status. Dallas also has four other players listed as out, so its depth is still thin up front.
Is Naji Marshall playing vs Rockets on Friday?
He has been cleared on the injury report and is available for Friday's 8 p.m. ET game against Houston.
When will Naji Marshall be back?
He has been cleared after his illness, so he is available against the Rockets on Friday, Oct. 30. No minutes restriction has been announced.