Marion has missed the previous three games because of a bruised left calf suffered during the Mavs’ March 6 win over the Houston Rockets. The Mavs had considered Marion to be day to day, but the calf has not been recovering as well as anticipated.

“It isn’t getting any better,” said Marion, who is not expected to be available for Friday night’s home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It’s still the same. It’s still painful right now.”

Marion, a 14-year veteran and one of two 2011 title contributors who remain on the Mavs’ roster, averages 11.7 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. The Mavs have managed to go 7-3 in games Marion has missed this season, although only two of those victories have come against teams with winning records.

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James landed awkwardly while attempting to catch a lob pass in the third quarter Sunday during the Miami Heat’s 99-93 win over the New York Knicks.

The Miami Herald reported earlier Monday that James would have his knee examined by a team doctor once the Heat arrived in Minneapolis.

But a source told Windhorst that James was examined Sunday in New York by Knicks team doctors, who determined that the nine-time All-Star avoided serious damage to the knee. James’ knee responded well during the flight to Minneapolis, and he will not undergo an MRI, according to the source.

James visibly attempted to loosen his knee during the third quarter Sunday but looked fine in the closing minutes, making several critical plays in Miami’s franchise-record 14th consecutive victory.

“His motor is limitless. I don’t want to take that for granted. I don’t just want to assume that he can play 40-plus minutes, but he had to do it on both ends,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Couldn’t get him out in the fourth quarter and if I would have tried, he probably would have strangled me.

“He was strong and was at his strongest after 40 minutes of basketball.”

James, who finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, ended the Knicks’ final hopes when he stepped in front of a pass headed toward Carmelo Anthony and broke in alone for the slam.

“We feel like this is one of our better wins of the season, even under the circumstances that we went through tonight, a little adversity being down double digits,” James said.

The last time James missed a game due to injury was Jan. 5, 2012, when he was sidelined against the Atlanta Hawks due to a turned ankle. The Heat, who also were without Dwyane Wade in that game, still managed to beat the Hawks in triple overtime, 116-109.

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“We have him well on his way,” Andrews told the NFL Network. “His recovery is way ahead of schedule so far. We don’t have to do much but try to hold him back, if you want to know the truth. Our whole mode for him though is to do what is best for his career, not necessarily what is best for the first game next season. So all of that has to be put on hold and let him get well.”

Griffin suffered a sprained LCL in Washington’s Week 14 win against the Baltimore Ravens, but returned two games later. He then tore two knee ligaments in a first-round playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks and had surgery Jan. 9.

Andrews, the Redskins team doctor who is on the sideline for their games, told USA Today after the playoff game that he did not clear Griffin to return, though coach Mike Shanahan said he got the OK from Andrews.

Team and league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Feb. 14 that Redskins officials are encouraged enough with Griffin’s recovery to believe he has a legitimate chance to start in the 2013 opener.

Griffin won The Associated Press 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award after setting the NFL record for best passer rating by a rookie quarterback and leading Washington to its first NFC East title in 13 years.

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