The Dallas Mavericks will be without superstar point guard Luka Doncic when they battle the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Doncic has a left thigh strain that has been recently bothering him, and the injury got worse during Wednesday’s 113-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
An MRI conducted Thursday revealed nothing structurally wrong with Doncic’s thigh. He did not practice on Friday.
“He’s day-to-day,” coach Jason Kidd. “So we’ll see how he feels. He will not go on the trip (to Memphis).”
The other walking wounded for the Mavs all practiced on Friday. That includes forward Reggie Bullock (right quad contusion), and centers Maxi Kleber (right hamstring tear) and JaVale McGee (right ankle sprain).
Kidd said those three players should be ready to play against the Grizzlies, with both Bullock and McGee listed as probable for Saturday’s game. Also, guard Kyrie Irving had an excused absence from Friday’s practice, Kidd said, for personal reasons.
“Hopefully,” Kidd said, “he’ll be able to join us in Memphis.”
Asked if the Mavs will be able to survive without Doncic, Kidd said: “I think when you have someone like Kai, if Luka’s out, we still have the ability to win. But we’ve had both of those guys out, or didn’t have Kai when we were in Utah and we found a way to win (124-111). And Utah had won three games in a row.
“Yeah, I think those guys have confidence that — given an opportunity to play — they can find a way to win (without Doncic).”
All in all, being healthy entering the playoffs is of utmost importance to the Mavs, which is why the Mavs won’t rush Doncic back onto the court.
“Our health is going the wrong way right now,” Kidd said. “We got to get healthy. That’s just the nature of this league is some injuries — not
just for us — but other teams, and you’ve got to go out there and find a way to win.
“We’re looking to get healthy, and then understanding if we’re not healthy we’ve got to go with the guys that can play.”
Meanwhile, starting Saturday, the Mavs will play the Grizzlies three times in a 10-day span. They also host the Grizzlies on Monday and will play the Grizzlies again in Memphis on March 20.
“They’re playing well,” Kidd said. “They had a big (131-110) win last night (in Memphis) against Golden State.
“They scored 48 points in the first quarter. They play extremely well at home. They’re one of the best teams in the Western Conference, so this is s big test for us.”
In addition to that first-quarter explosion against Golden State, the Grizzlies also poured in 51 points in the third quarter of Sunday’s 135-129 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. That was the first of three games Memphis has played thus far without All-Star point guard Ja Morant, who the Grizzlies said will be away from the team for at least six games after he livestreamed a video of himself on his Instagram account apparently holding a gun at a nightclub in Glendale, Colo.
“With Ja out, they’ve done this before when Ja has been hurt,” Kidd said. “Their record is still really, really good.
“They’ve got guys – (Dillon) Brooks and (Desmond) Bane – that can put the ball in the basket. (Tyus) Jones, being a starter now, causes 
problems. Again, this is going to be a good test for our defense.”
On playing the Grizzlies three times in 10 days, Bullock said: “We’ve got to be mentally focused. We know the energy that Memphis plays with, and we know how well they are coached, how fast they get out in transition (and) how well they play together.
“We’ll be mentally prepared, stick to the game plan and try to get out of there with a W.”
The Mavs are 34-33 and in eighth place in the Western Conference, while the Grizzlies are 39-26 and in third. Memphis also has the NBA’s second-best record at home at 27-5.
“Their swagger is high at home,” Kidd said. “They play extremely well at home, so this is going to be a good test for us on the road.”
BRIEFLY: Wednesday’s game in New Orleans was the second night of a back-to-back for the Mavs. Thus, coach Jason Kidd went deep into his roster and got back into the game behind an injection of energy from Davis Bertans and rookie Jaden Hardy. “On a back-to-back, we were flat, we were looking for some offense and those two delivered,” Kidd said. “I think Davis and Hardy will get some time here as we go forward. Also, playing with (Kyrie Irving), anyone who plays with Kai is a plus. We just got to put those guys out there with Kai. For whatever reason right now, Kai is the one who’s trending up. But Hardy and Davis are shot-makers. We weren’t making shots in New Orleans, so yeah, those guys will be getting some playing time.” Hardy scored 11 points in 17 minutes on 4-of-5 shots against the Pelicans, while Bertans had six points, four rebounds and three assists in 14 minutes . . . The Western Conference is so tight that teams seeded fifth through 13th are separated by just three games. “The standings are what they are,” Kidd said. “Our record — it is what it is today. For that, we’ve got to just play the games. At the end of 82 (regular season games) you’ll see what seed you have. You just got to take care of what’s in front of you, and that’s what we’re focused on.”. . . Although the Grizzlies will be without Morant for Saturday’s and Monday’s games against the Mavs, forward Reggie Bullock said: “They’re still a great team. I’ve been watching them without him. They still play well together, they’re still well-coached and they’re still playing with a lot of speed. They’ve got a few great players on their team, so they’re still playing with a lot of force.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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