MEMPHIS – With Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving running the show, the Dallas Mavericks were mainly a spectacular guard-oriented show that had fans on pins and needles because of the extraordinary things they could do on the basketball court.

But with Dončić now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Irving out for the season following surgery to repair his torn left anterior cruciate ligament, the Mavs have turned to a potent front line headed by Anthony Davis to punish opponents. Davis can make life miserable for foes with his play in the paint, his ability to shoot the three-pointer, his midrange game, and his overall defensive prowess.

Davis has the skill set that’ll keep opposing coaches up all night trying to design a scheme to slow him down.

“AD is just a problem period, man,” said Sacramento Kings interim coach Doug Christie. “He’s seven feet, he can put the ball on the deck, he can shoot the three, he crashes (the boards), he’s an incredible defensive player, you can play through him, he gets to the free throw line. He just poses a whole new different type of problem for you.”

The Kings never played against Davis this season as a Maverick. But when Davis was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Davis averaged 24.5 points and 24.5 rebounds in four games against the Kings this season.

So, when Davis collected 27 points, nine rebounds and three blocks during the Mavs’ 120-106 win over the Kings in Wednesday’s NBA play-in tournament game, that was just business as usual for him.

“We played against him here in the Western Conference many times, so we do know his game,” Christie said.” But playing with the Mavericks, obviously is a little bit different approach because he doesn’t have (Laker forward) LeBron (James).

“So, it’s a different approach for him. Obviously, unfortunately Kyrie went out, so that was the kind of one-two punch that (the Mavs) were kind of looking for.”

The Mavs don’t mind putting Davis on the perimeter and allowing him to initiate the offense. They know he has the ability to disrupt anybody’s defensive plans.

“AD has been in a lot of situations,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s won at every level. (But) everyone has to do their job. We can’t just come down and try to throw it to AD every time.”

Here are some other nuggets surrounding Friday’s game between the Mavs and Grizzlies.

*The winner of the Mavs-Grizzlies matchup will advance to the playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed. That best-of-seven first-round series between the Thunder and the Mavs-Grizzlies winner begins Sunday. Game 1 of that best-of-seven series tips off at noon.

*The biggest story line to pump up Friday’s game is the health of Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant. In Tuesday’s 121-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors, Morant sprained his right ankle when he landed awkwardly on the foot of Warriors guard Buddy Hield. The Grizzlies have listed Morant as questionable for Friday’s game.

* The Mavs shot 49.4 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range, and 92.3 percent from downtown during Wednesday’s 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings. That’s the first time since March 12, 2014 that the Mavs had that type of efficiency.

*The Mavs were just in Memphis last Sunday when they lost to the Grizzlies, 132-97, in the regular-season finale for both teams. Most of the regular rotation players for both teams did not play.

DALLAS MAVERICKS (39-43) at MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (48-34)

When: 8:30 p.m., Friday

Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis

TV: ESPN

Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish), ESPN Radio

X: @DwainPrice