Update: Monta Ellis is "very doubtful" to play in Sunday's game against the Pacers, Rick Carlisle told reporters.
"He appears to be very doubtful for tomorrow," Carlisle told, per ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon. "We don't think it's serious. But we are concerned."
Carlisle added: "I trust Monta to be reasonable about this. He knows how important he is to us. We can't take a foolish risk at this point."
After reports of Ellis unnecessarily playing through a hip injury earlier this season, that last answer is interesting. Regardless, Ellis at full health is crucial for the Mavericks to have success in the quickly approaching playoffs.
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One game after responding to criticism about his poor play with 36 points, Monta Ellis left Friday's game against the Spurs in the third quarter after an awkward play involving Manu Ginobili. Although Ellis tried to walk it off and return to the game, he was unable to do so and reportedly left the arena on crutches.
"He was kicked or kneed in the right calf," Rick Carlisle told reporters after the game. "It's very sore but we don't know the extent of it. We'll see how it feels in the morning.
He elaborated: "Our trainers will evaluate the situation. ... I don't see us putting him out there if he's not feeling good. You can't underestimate his ability to bounce from things. He's a fighter and he loves to compete."
Here's the play in question, which honestly doesn't show much at all.
Leaving on crutches doesn't seem good, but Ellis is well-known for his ability to play through injuries. He currently has played in 237 straight games, the NBA's second-longest active ironman streak behind DeAndre Jordan.
Earlier this year, Ellis suffered a hip injury against the Clippers that looked sure to keep him out. He didn't miss any time, but he recently admitted that injury has nagged him over the past few weeks, causing some of his recent struggles.
The Mavericks clearly need Ellis with nine games remaining in the regular season and the playoffs looming, and they clearly need him at full strength. Another injury, even if he can play through it, would be devastating to a team that struggled greatly when he wasn't operating at his full strength. While early reports may not look good, no more tests are expected to be run and you just have to trust Ellis' injury history that this will turn out alright.