MEMPHIS — Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will not play in Saturday night’s road game against the Memphis Grizzlies because of his left thigh strain, and Kyrie Irving‘s status is in question because of right foot soreness.
Irving joined the team in Memphis and participated in shootaround after missing Friday’s practice for personal reasons.
Irving said he initially felt soreness in his foot after playing 41 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, in which Doncic exited in the third quarter.
“I didn’t come out in the third and the fourth, so it’s a little bit of a tweak,” Irving told ESPN after shootaround. “Doing all I can right now. Just taking my days and getting recovery in. … I’m questionable right now [vs. the Grizzlies]. I’ll do everything I can in the next few hours to get ready for the performance.”
Irving had an excused absence Friday to travel to his native New Jersey and attend the funeral of Najee Seabrooks, an anti-violence activist who was fatally shot by police.
“It’s tough already to lose somebody and deal with the circumstances we’re in right now,” Irving told ESPN. “Just out of respect, I send my blessings to my family. I was there to pay my respects. Right now, there’s just a lot going on. It’s hard.”
Doncic’s left thigh has been bothering him for several games and has gotten progressively more painful, leading the All-Star to exit Wednesday’s 113-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in the third quarter.
An MRI on Doncic’s thigh Thursday revealed no damage, and Doncic will return once the discomfort allows him, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Mavs consider Doncic’s status to be day-to-day, Kidd said.
Dallas is 5-7 since Irving joined the team after a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets. That includes a 3-6 record in games Doncic and Irving have both played.