Mavericks missing Mejri and Lee in Game 5 v. Thunder

Dallas Mavericks' Salah Mejri dunks on an alley-oop pass. (Danny Moloshok/AP)

OKLAHOMA CITY — Dallas faces elimination without two of its interior threats.

Centre Salah Mejri and forward David Lee missed Monday’s playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with injuries. Dallas trails the series 3-1.

Mejri initially strained his right hip in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game. The 7-foot-2 rookie centre from Tunisia started the playoff opener against the Thunder, then came off the bench the next three games.

Lee sat out with a right plantar fascia injury. He missed the first two games of the series, then played a reserve role in Games 3 and 4, scoring six points in both games.

The Mavericks already were without guard Deron Williams, who has a left abdominal strain/sports hernia. Coach Rick Carlisle has said he doesn’t expect Williams to return this season.

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