MIAMI (AFP) — Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving said the foot injury that saw him miss a fourth straight National Basketball Association game on Wednesday will take “a little bit more time” than he expected to heal.

Irving spoke to reporters in Dallas before the team’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

“It’s going to take a little bit more time than I thought,” said the All-Star, who arrived in Dallas shortly before the trade deadline last month after forcing a trade from Brooklyn.

“It’s obviously still day to day, but just got to take more time.”

Irving said he was feeling pain around his big toe.

“I took a wrong step in New Orleans and just felt like my knuckles cracked and just wanted to take precaution (at) this point in the season.”

“I make my whole entire living with my feet, so I’d rather be taking care of it now than be dealing with it when I’m 40 years old,” he said.

The Mavs have lost the first three games that Irving has missed since his arrival.

They were also without Luka Doncic for a third straight game on Wednesday because of a strained left thigh.

“It’s frustrating for any of us that are on the sideline, especially this time in the season,” Irving said.

“This is where you want to be playing your best basketball and with us being such a newly developed team at this point in the season, things have to happen a lot sooner,” he said.

“We’d love to be out there, including myself, but just got to get our health right first and then try to make a push to the end of the season.”

Dallas is currently clinging to ninth place in the Western Conference and the penultimate play-in berth.