Mavs-Grizz Tutorial: Luka not involved, Kairi questionable

The Mavericks will once again be missing at least one superstar, and sweating over the availability of their other when they have an early rematch against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

Luka Doncic will miss the second game in a row with a sprained left thigh. According to the latest injury report, Kyrie Irving (right leg soreness) is questionable.

What the Mavericks are less and less worried about is how rookie Jayden Hardy will behave if and when he is forced to do his job.

The last few times he’s been in this situation, he’s answered the question resoundingly.

Hardy scored 22 points as he made his first NBA start on Saturday against the Grizzlies.

These meaningful moments were hard to come by in his first season, but the way he handled them was impressive. When he played more than 10 minutes in a game, he averaged 11.1 points (199 points, 18 games).

“Obviously he’s got a lot of firepower, a lot of confidence as a rookie,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said ahead of Saturday’s game. “He really thrived with it. Obviously the opportunity wasn’t there all season, but when he (played) he was aggressive. When we talked as a coaching staff, you should completely focus on him. This guy is an instant insult.”

This year, Hardy got a good education, watching Doncic, and after the deadline for preparation, Irving. But watching superstars is no substitute for doing it yourself.

The 6-4 defender found out shortly before Saturday’s game that he would start. His family found out about it quickly and he wasn’t particularly nervous before the game.

“As I continue to play more and start to feel more comfortable, I feel like my game will continue to grow,” he said. “But I’m really learning from the guys this year. I feel like today was a good experience for me.”

With Luka definitely out of action on Monday and Irving’s health condition under review, Hardy could get more opportunities on Monday.

Here’s what else to look out for in a rematch:

• The Grizzlies have the best blocking shot in the league, Jaren Jackson Jr., and had two of them on Saturday. “He identifies with it,” Jenkins said of Jackson’s rejections. “He enjoys it. This is a highlight for him. Many times we put things into it. And he has a care factor about it.”
• On Saturday, the Mavericks ditched Desmond Bain’s three-pointer in a crucial moment and paid the price. His bucket with a minute left lifted the Grizzlies 108–104 on Saturday. “He’s a guy who can hit the basket,” said coach Jason Kidd. “You have to keep him away from the free throw line. One thing we didn’t do well. He’s a throwing guy and he had a wide three there late, which is one of those things that you can’t get if you want to beat them, especially here (in Memphis).” Bain will likely be on an emotional high to return to his alma mater at TCU.
• The Grizzlies will again be without Ja Morant, but in the first meeting they received excellent input from rookie David Roddy (22 points, 4 of 7 three-pointers) and point guard Tyus Jones (10 assists). Brandon Clark and Stephen Adams are also not involved.
• The Mavericks hit .500 for the first time since December 21, when they were 16–16.
• The Grizzlies begin a three-game trip that continues to Miami and San Antonio, in that order.
• The last time the Grizzlies were at the AAC was on October 22 in the third game of the season. There isn’t much to take away from that meeting now, except that the Mavericks won by 41 points.

DALLAS MAVERICS (34-34) vs. MEMPHIS GRizzlies (40-26)

• When: 18:30, Monday.
• Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas.
• TV: Bally Sports Southwest.
• Radio:1 FM, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).

Twitter: @ESefko