The Dallas Mavericks had a great start to the season, but seem to be struggling over the past few weeks. Luka Doncic and Co. went winless in their two-game homestand before grabbing a victory against the Atlanta Hawks on the road. Fans hoped that the performance against the Hawks could spark a winning streak. However, the Mavs suffered a loss against the Sacramento Kings in their next fixture. Now, as Jason Kidd’s boys prepare to host the Orlando Magic, Kyrie Irving’s availability will be important to keep track of.
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Kyrie Irving missed out on a larger part of the season due to a heel contusion. However, he made his return at the beginning of January and didn’t seem as though his injured heel was causing any problems. But, during the Mavericks’ clash against the Boston Celtics, Irving injured his thumb.
During the postgame ceremony, the shifty guard revealed that he hurt his thumb on the first play of the game.
“Yeah, on the first play of the game, JT [Jayson Tatum] went by me, and I tried to swipe, and he did his kind of trick where he put the ball up and messed up my thumb,” Irving said.
Due to the injury, the 2016 NBA champ has missed out on the past three clashes. Unfortunately, fans will not be pleased to learn that Irving has been ruled out for the Mavericks-Magic game as well.
Mavs list Kyrie Irving as out vs. Magic tomorrow. It will be the fourth straight game Irving has missed due to his sprained right thumb.
Dante Exum (knee), Derrick Jones Jr. (wrist) and Dwight Powell (eye) are all questionable. They all missed Saturday’s loss to Kings.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 28, 2024
Kyrie Irving has been putting up All-Star level of production
Kyrie Irving has been sensational in his 13th professional campaign. The 31-year-old has put up 25.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. His efficiency has been off the charts, shooting the ball at 47.2% from the field, 41.1% from 3FG, and 89.5% from the charity stripe.
However, having an injury-riddled campaign has had a detrimental impact on the Mavericks. So far, Uncle Drew has missed out on 19 games. In those 19 games, the Texas side has grabbed 10 wins (52.6% win percentage). However, the 6ft 2” guard’s presence has resulted in a better 15-12 record (55.6% win percentage).
The Orlando Magic have added a few players – Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Kevin Harris, and Jett Howard – to their injury report. However, they will enter the contest with high confidence, coming off a 15-point win against the healthy Phoenix Suns.
