Bucks at Mavericks preseason preview: 3 things to watch for

The Dallas Mavericks return home looking to avoid a winless preseason on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. After Monday's 110-96 loss to the Clippers, the Mavericks are 0-3 on the schedule, including five-point losses to Memphis and Utah.

As for injuries, PJ Washington made his preseason debut on Monday after missing the first two games with hip soreness. Luka Doncic missed his third straight game because of the calf contusion he's been dealing with for a few weeks, and he “likely won't participate in Thursday's final preseason contest,” according to Jason Kidd. Kyrie Irving missed Monday's game due to a rest, but all indications are that he will play against Milwaukee.

Everyone else who has played so far should be ready to go again for the dress rehearsal on Thursday evening, which means we'll have a lot to see. Here's a selection of what we'll be keeping an eye on.

Will the real Klay Thompson please stand up?

Klay Thompson, one of the best shooters this league has ever seen, is currently 3 of his last 28 from the field. That's a crisp 10.7%. For all the questions and concerns some had about the addition of Thompson, Klay's shooting ability wasn't one of them. You can't get the nickname “Splash Bro” without being splashy. This “basketball” definitely doesn’t bother me, considering the preseason isn’t actually basketball. But since we're only a week away from games that actually count, could we take a few out in this game, Klay?

Spin the twists

Without Luka, I'm excited to see some of the lineup combinations Jason Kidd can utilize as the season progresses. These minutes can be valuable in determining who will be on the floor with Kyrie if Luka is on the bench during his normal regular season rotation. I'd like to see a few different combinations just to see what works.

One lineup I'm particularly interested in would be a lineup of Irving, Grimes, Marshall, Thompson and Lively. There are numerous interchangeable parts with the 5 and Washington, Gafford, Hardy or Dinwiddie and even Exum and Glue when healthy. It's fun to have a group of 11 players to mix and match with when the best player is on the bench.

The squad is rounded off

Technically, the Mavericks have no available roster spots for additional players. However, the Mavs cut guaranteed salary to make room for someone else. Just last year, Mike Miles had a two-way contract coming into camp but was released before the season. Given Jaz Gortman's continued strong play, could a situation like this happen again? The players at the end of the bench may only get a quarter of the work in this game, so it could be an entertaining fourth quarter watching the boys fight for spots.

Here's how to watch

Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the American Airlines Center, with the game broadcast on TNT with no blackout restrictions. If you prefer the local flavor, Mavericks local coverage is also available on Mavs.com.