Mavs' Jefferson sits out Game 5 after pregame back injury
Dallas Mavericks forward Richard Jefferson failed to see any action in Monday's Game 5 elimination against the Houston Rockets, as the veteran small forward sustained a lower-back strain during pregame warmups.
The Mavericks announced the injury right around tip-off, listing Jefferson as questionable at the time.
Jefferson, who played through a calf injury in Game 4, was mostly a non-factor for Dallas in the series. The 34-year-old averaged 3.8 points in less than 13 minutes per game, although he did connect on 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) 3-point attempts.
With Chandler Parsons out for the season due to a knee injury, however, Jefferson was the most suitable backup for defensive small forward Al-Farouq Aminu, leaving the Mavs a little thin at the three.