DALLAS — Kyrie Irving was unable to participate in the Dallas Mavericks’ match on Friday evening against the top-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers due to an illness, which meant he joined fellow All-Star guard Luka Doncic on the bench for this outing.

Doncic had previously sustained a left calf strain during the Mavericks’ Christmas Day defeat to Minnesota. He is set to undergo a medical reevaluation later this month to assess his condition.

The Mavericks’ performance has evidently been affected post this injury, as they have suffered three losses out of their last four games, all of which occurred on the road.