Kyrie Irving injury is latest unfortunate event for Mavericks after Luka Doncic trade
- Share via
Kyrie Irving is out for the season after the Dallas Mavericks star tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Monday night.
The Mavericks initially indicated that Irving had suffered a left knee sprain during their loss to the Sacramento Kings but said Tuesday that an MRI exam had revealed the tear.
“Kai, you are resilient,” the Mavericks wrote on X. “Excellence, leadership and dedication is who you are. We know you’ll come back stronger than ever.”
Irving appeared on Instagram Live on Tuesday afternoon, telling fans of his situation, “It’s tough,” but adding that he is “at peace” with what happened.
“I will be back,” said the nine-time All-Star who leads the Mavericks in points and assists. “I will be better. It’s gonna take some time, but I don’t question any of God’s works or God’s planning. It’s no time to question the power of God.”
The road to the NBA Finals is opening up for the Lakers, who are suddenly in second place in the Western Conference standings. Home-court advantage can be a big asset.
Irving’s injury is devastating for the Mavericks, but it’s hardly surprising considering how the last several weeks have gone for the defending Western Conference champions.
Dallas was 19-10 going into a Christmas Day matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. During that game, then-Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic suffered a strained left calf. It turned out to be the reigning NBA scoring champion’s final game with the Mavericks.
In a surprise Feb. 1 trade, Dallas general manager Nico Harrison sent 25-year-old Doncic to the Lakers as part of a deal that brought 31-year-old forward Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. It was a move that was widely celebrated in Los Angeles, and wildly unpopular among Mavericks fans.
Doncic joined LeBron James and the rest of his new Lakers teammate on the floor for the first time Feb. 10. Since then, L.A. has gone 7-2 and moved into second place in the Western Conference standings.
LeBron James pulls off a critical block in the final seconds and Luka Doncic scores 29 points as the Lakers beat the Clippers for the second time in three days.
Meanwhile, Dallas’ fortunes have gotten worse. They lost the Dec. 25 game in which Doncic was injured and 19 of the 32 they’ve played since to find themselves at 32-30 and in 10th place in the West.
Davis had 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots during his Mavericks debut Feb. 8 against the Houston Rockets. But at the 2:11 mark of the third quarter, Davis left the game with what was later revealed as a strained left adductor and hasn’t played since. He is scheduled to undergo an evaluation Thursday.
Starting center Dereck Lively II has been out since mid-January with a stress fracture in his right ankle, and his replacement, Daniel Gafford, suffered a right knee sprain Feb. 10. Both players could be weeks away from returning.
The news out of Monday’s loss could be the crushing blow for a Dallas team that entered the season with legitimate championship aspirations. The 32-year-old Irving was driving to the basket late in the first quarter when he was fouled by DeMar DeRozan, then stepped on the foot of Sacramento’s Jonas Valanciunas and landed awkwardly on his left leg, appearing to hyperextend his knee on the play.
Irving had tears in his eyes as he sank both of his free throws before leaving the game.
The Mavericks — who earlier in the day had announced an increase in ticket price by an average of 8.61% for next season — haven’t released any news on Irving’s injury since describing it during the game as a “left knee sprain.”
“Prayers sent up to Ky,” James wrote on X about the player who helped him lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their only NBA championship in 2016.
Doncic responded to his former Dallas teammate’s injury in his Instagram Stories, posting photos of Irving shooting his post-injury free throws with emojis signifying prayers and holding back tears. Separately, he posted a photo of himself with his arm around Irving.
“You will come back stronger, mi hermano!” Doncic wrote, using a Spanish phrase for “my brother.”
As for Irving, he said he’s trying to keep “proper perspective” on all that has happened.
“I gave it all this season,” he said. “I was giving it all starting in the summertime after we lost in the finals. It’s been a lot of change that’s happened very quickly over the last month and some change, so I’ve been dealing with emotions just with that, too, and I’ll have time to kind of go deeper into those emotions when I have the time. But as of right now, I’m taking it in stride.”
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
