Sad news from the NBA and really for the Mavericks. Kyrie Irving’s season has come to a devastating end after the Dallas Mavericks star suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Irving’s unreal injury occurred during the Mavs’ 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. The incident happened late in the first quarter while Irving was driving to the basket. As he attempted a layup, his left knee bent awkwardly, causing him to crash hard to the floor. Immediately, he called for a trainer.
Although visibly shaken, Irving managed to shoot his free throws after drawing a foul, but was then helped off the court, unable to put weight on his leg as he made his way to the locker room. The team later confirmed the injury as a left knee sprain, with Irving finishing the game with seven points, one rebound, and one assist in just nine minutes of play.
This injury marks yet another setback in a challenging season for the Mavericks, who are currently sitting at 32-30, holding onto the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Irving’s absence adds to a growing list of injuries for the franchise. The team has already been without key players like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, while newly acquired Anthony Davis has only played one game since his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, suffering an adductor injury in his debut with Dallas. To make matters worse, guard Jaden Hardy also sustained an ankle injury during the game on Monday.
Irving, in his 15th NBA season, had been performing at an elite level before the injury, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He was the only player in the NBA this season to average 20 points, 40% shooting from beyond the arc, and 90% from the free-throw line.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd expressed frustration with the team’s injury woes, stating, “[T]he injuries we’ve had this season, guys are trying to hold it together to get other bodies back. And then it just seems every time we get close to getting someone back, someone else goes down. We’re running out of bodies here. But guys keep fighting.”