The Dallas Mavericks are facing the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night in the battle of teams with bad vibes. Dallas is coming off a loss to the Zion Williamson-less New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, while the Memphis Grizzlies just got Ja Morant back from a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team after he was clearly upset with the coaching staff.
The teams are a combined 5-12, which is not where either team thought they’d be entering the season. Dallas could at least have injuries to blame, if injuries were not a theme for half of the rosters’ careers and entirely predictable.
Mavericks star Anthony Davis has missed the last three games with a calf strain he suffered against the Indiana Pacers last week, after he was already dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinopathy. This stems from him showing up into the season overweight, thinking he could play his way into shape, but his body just can’t handle that extra stress.
Entering Friday’s game against the Grizzlies, the Mavericks upgraded Davis’ status to doubtful. With this being the first game of a back-to-back, we absolutely won’t see him in both games over the next two days, but he may have a better chance to go against the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
Oct 15, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) looks outward during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
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Dallas is also still without center Dereck Lively II, who is dealing with a right knee sprain. Head coach Jason Kidd said Lively is still basically week-to-week, which isn’t that encouraging, since it’s been a pretty mysterious injury.
The same goes for Dante Exum, who is still out with right knee injury management, and there’s been no update on him. Kyrie Irving is the other Maverick out for this game, who is recovering well from his ACL surgery, and Jason Kidd hopes to have back before the end of 2025, but a lot of fans are worried that they may rush hum back from injury too soon.
For Memphis, they’ll be without Brandon Clarke (right knee surgery recovery), Zach Edey (left ankle surgery recovery), Ty Jerome (right calf sprain), and Scotty Pippen Jr. (left great toe surgery recovery). Clarke just seems like someone who will never be a healthy player, which is a shame, because he was great when healthy.
And with someone of Edey’s size recovering from ankle surgery, that can be a tricky recovery. Leg injuries are always tough for massive people like Edey, and it’s what people will always be concerned about for someone like Victor Wembanyma.
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