Mavericks star Kyrie Irving sustained an injury while driving to the basket on Monday in Dallas’ game against the Sacramento Kings. As he attempted a Euro step, Irving’s left knee buckled, and he went down in a heap.
Injured forward Anthony Davis was helping Irving to the locker room before Irving abruptly returned to the floor to attempt two free throws. After converting both foul shots to pull Dallas within 23-18, Irving was helped into the tunnel with his arms wrapped around the shoulders of injured teammate Dereck Lively and an assistant coach. He was ruled out soon after with a knee sprain.
Irving had seven points in nine minutes prior to the injury. He came into the night averaging 25 points and 4.7 assists across 49 games this season. His importance to the Mavericks’ overall success increased when the team traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers as Irving was left as the only perimeter shot-creator.
His availability and consistency became even more paramount after Dallas was hit with the injury bug and lost Davis, Lively, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington. Lively sustained a stress fracture in his right ankle in January, Davis suffered an adductor strain on Feb. 9 in his first game for Dallas after being acquired in the Doncic trade, Gafford sprained his right knee on Feb. 13, and Washington returned from an ankle injury on Sunday but suffered a setback in that game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Mavericks (32-29) sit in 10th place in the NBA’s Western Conference, which is the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. They are four games ahead of the 11th-place Phoenix Suns and 12th-place Portland Trail Blazers, but if Irving’s injury is long term, it may open the door for those teams to make a late playoff push.
The Kings (31-28) are in ninth, so Monday’s game goes a long way in determining the standings.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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