On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks succumbed to their third straight defeat, losing 132-109 to the Phoenix Suns at home. Star guard Kyrie Irving was absent from the game, and the team’s offense missed him terribly. Apart from Luka Doncic, who finished with 34 points, no other Mavericks starter hit double-digit points against the Suns. Sixth man Tim Hardaway Jr. was the team’s second-highest scorer with 17 points.
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Irving missed the game because of the right thumb sprain he suffered against the Boston Celtics. In the post-game press conference, the veteran guard had revealed that he suffered the injury on the game’s first play trying to swipe the ball away from the hands of Jayson Tatum. Irving got an X-ray on his thumb, which came back negative. He just had to wear a protective brace as a precaution.
Irving had claimed that he wasn’t expecting to miss any games but the Mavericks medical staff did not clear him for the game against the Suns. On Friday, the Mavericks are scheduled to take on the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. In the Mavs’ latest injury report, Irving’s status for the game has been listed as “questionable”.
It was the same before the game against the Suns. While Dallas is risking losing ground on the teams above them without their second option, a long-term injury for their veteran guard would derail their entire season. The Mavericks will likely not field Kyrie Irving in the game against the Hawks if the medical staff don’t clear him.
However, the Luka Doncic-led Mavs will step on the court as favorites against the 18-26 Hawks side. In addition, Trae Young and Clint Capela have both been listed as “questionable” in Atlanta’s latest injury report, Young due to concussion protocol and Capela due to his left calf contusion.
Mavericks’ record without Kyrie Irving
In the 2023-24 NBA season, Kyrie Irving has missed 17 of the Mavericks’ 44 games, more than 1/3rd of the campaign. The team was able to cope with their superstar guard’s absence early in the season, but they have struggled to perform without him lately. In their last nine games without Irving, the Mavericks are 3-6. They are 15-12 with the veteran guard on the court, proving his importance to his team’s fortunes.
Dallas is only four games above .500 and two games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, who are ninth in the Western Conference standings. They desperately need a string of wins to close the gap on the teams above them on the table and also distance themselves from needing to win two games in the play-in phase of the postseason.
For the Mavericks to find a semblance of momentum, they need Irving back on the court. Without him, the onus is on Doncic to play over 40 minutes a game and drag the Mavericks to wins, an unsustainable tactic. Dallas will hope Irving returns to the lineup for their game against the Sacramento Kings at home this Saturday.
