Kyrie Irving, who missed a few games because of a foot injury, returned to play 39 minutes against the Lakers on Friday night. His 38 point tally was the X-Factor in leading them to the victory on the night.
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Kyrie has slotted well into this Mavericks team after putting in a trade request with Brooklyn in early February. The 30-year-old, who turns 31 in 3 days, is still within his championship window.
Getting Irving was a win-now move by Mark Cuban, who was criticized from all quarters for failing to retain their second-best player from last year in Jalen Brunson.
Although losing Dorian Finney-Smith has gutted their depth and defense, the idea is for Irving’s offense to counteract that. It has yet to click into action successfully, mainly because of injuries suffered by both Luka and Kyrie.
With just 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Mavericks are just 1 win over .500. They will need Irving and Doncic available for as many games as they can for a top-6 finish.
Is Kyrie Irving playing tonight vs Memphis Grizzlies?
Kyrie Irving is on the Mavericks’ injured list alongside Doncic and Markief Morris for tonight’s game. The Mavericks are dealing cautiously with his recovery timetable, listing him as ‘questionable’ because of right foot soreness.
Luka Dončić (left thigh strain), Kyrie Irving (right foot soreness) and Markieff Morris (left knee soreness) are all questionable for tomorrow night’s in Memphis.
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) March 19, 2023
The outcome of this game could be make-or-break for the Mavs, considering the close margins in the West. Dallas is currently 6th in the Conference, but just 1.5 games ahead of Utah in 11th place.
Ja Morant has also finished his 8-game suspension. His return, if it happens tonight, would make the Mavs’ road fixture considerably tougher to negotiate.
Kyrie’s stats this season
Irving has appeared in 52 games this season and is on track for his first 60-game season since his Boston tenure. 40 of these came during his Nets tenure, while the remaining 12 have been in Dallas colors.
His averages on both teams are more or less similar. Through 12 games, he’s averaging 28.4 points on 52% shooting from the field for Dallas. His true shooting percentage for the Mavs is 5% higher than his Nets spell.
