In a tough moment for the Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving suffered a left knee sprain during the first quarter of their 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings. The injury occurred when Irving was fouled by DeMar DeRozan while driving to the basket. As Irving’s right foot landed on Jonas Valanciunas’ foot, he lost his balance, causing him to fall awkwardly on his left leg. His knee appeared to hyperextend before he collapsed to the floor in obvious pain.
Irving’s Resilience Despite Pain
After the injury, Irving stayed on the floor for several minutes, visibly in pain and holding his knee. He was eventually helped to the locker room by teammate Anthony Davis. However, showing his toughness, Irving returned to the court to shoot two free throws, which he made to bring Dallas within 23-18. Shortly after, the Mavs ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
Coach Jason Kidd expressed hope that Irving’s injury wasn’t serious, saying it was “just unlucky.” Kidd added that Irving’s decision to shoot the free throws reminded him of the legendary Kobe Bryant, who made two foul shots in a similar situation after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2013.
A Challenging Night for the Mavericks
This injury came on a night already plagued by setbacks for the Mavericks. The team was already without Anthony Davis, who had been sidelined with a groin injury, as well as other key players including Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and P.J. Washington Jr. To make matters worse, Jaden Hardy also went down in the third quarter with a right ankle sprain. This left the Mavericks with only nine available players for the remainder of the game.
Coach Kidd reflected on the team’s struggles with injuries, stating, “It seems every time we get close to getting somebody back, someone goes down.” The Mavericks continue to battle through these challenges as they face the remainder of the season.
