The Memphis Grizzlies are hosting the Dallas Mavericks at the FedEx Forum this Friday night in the battle for the final playoff spot, the eighth seed. The winner takes on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Grizzlies bested the Mavericks three out of four times this regular season and hope to carry that momentum into this high-stakes game.

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Typically, an ACL surgery requires eight-12 months of recovery, but the Mavericks are hoping that Irving will be back on the shorter end of his recovery. ESPN's Shams Charania reports Dallas has hopes that Irving will be able to return by January of 2026, which would allow him to potentially play in the majority of the 2025-26 season.