Kyrie Irving plays for the Brooklyn Nets in a game against the Cavaliers in 2022. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Kaya Wagner
Staff Writer
Late in the first quarter of the Dallas Mavericks’ March 3 game against the Sacramento Kings, the team lost their all-star point guard Kyrie Irving to a season-ending injury. The nine-time All-Star’s injury was initially ruled as a strain but was announced the next day as a torn ACL, and now Irving is out for the rest of the season and a potential playoff run.
The loss of Irving has devastated the Mavericks and delivered a blow toward any hopes of a playoff run for the team. Irving has been the team’s most consistent performer, appearing in 50 of the team’s 62 games. He is also the sole NBA player to have an at least 20 points average, along with boasting impressive stats of 40% three-point shooting and 90% free-throw accuracy. Irving’s workload for the team has been increased since the trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, with a league-leading playing time of an average of 39.3 minutes per game prior to his injury. The player that the Mavericks acquired from the controversial trade, Anthony Davis, also suffered an adductor strain during his debut game, and he has remained sidelined with no current timetable for his return.
This point in the season is especially crucial for the Mavericks since the team is trying to secure a playoff spot. The team is holding on to the 10th seed of the Western Conference, making them currently eligible for playoffs. The team did drop to a record of 32-30 after their loss to the Kings, with them only being 3 and a half games ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the tenth seed.
The NBA world waits anxiously to see what the Mavericks will do with their depleted roster, with the two most likely candidates to take Irving’s position being Spencer Dinwiddle or Max Christie. The team’s decision on who to fill in for the All-Star point guard can be the biggest factor in whether they maintain a playoff position.