On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks will look to end their two-game losing streak when they host the Kevin Durant-led red-hot Phoenix Suns. The Mavericks conceded back-to-back losses against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics in their last two games and will now face a Suns team that has won their past six games. Therefore, Dallas fans will hope that both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are available for the contest.
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However, the Mavericks’ test could get sterner at the American Airlines Center because both their guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have made it to the injury list ahead of the game against the Suns. Irving has a right thumb sprain and is listed as “questionable” for the game on Wednesday, as per the Mavs’ latest injury report. The veteran guard sprained his right thumb in the Mavericks’ 119-110 loss against the Celtics.
Kyrie Irving swiped at the ball against Jayson Tatum on the first play and sprained his thumb.
He got X-ray post game and results were good but it hurts, so he’s wearing a brace for precaution.
He’s frustrated w/ unexpected injuries, LeBron’s tackle last game and thumb tonight. pic.twitter.com/592Yzih2pW
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) January 23, 2024
In the post-game press conference, Irving revealed that he suffered the thumb injury on the first play against the Celtics, trying to steal the ball from Jayson Tatum. The Mavericks guard also revealed that he got an x-ray done on his thumb because of the pain and was grateful that the results were negative. However, he was seen wearing a brace for protection.
The injury affected Irving’s shooting. He banked only nine of his 20 shots for the 23 points he put up against the Celtics. As of Tuesday, Irving was still in pain but reassured that he wouldn’t miss the game against the Suns. He told reporters,
“It’s going to hurt. I don’t think there’s anybody in the NBA that’s 100% night to night.”
All signs point to Irving playing against his former Brooklyn Nets teammate Kevin Durant and the Suns on Wednesday. On the other hand, Luka Doncic has also been listed as ‘questionable’ for his low back tightness. The Mavs will certainly hope to see him at his best against a resurgent Phoenix side.
Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks’ inconsistent campaign
The first anniversary of Kyrie Irving’s surprise trade to the Dallas Mavericks is two weeks away. Since landing the superstar from the Brooklyn Nets, the Mavericks have played 70 games and are 33-37. They are 24-19 in Irving’s second season with the team and are eighth in the Western Conference standings.
Irving is averaging 25.2 points this season, his lowest mark since the 2018-19 campaign. He has missed 16 of his team’s 43 games this season. The Mavericks are 15-12 with Irving in the starting lineup and 9-7 without the superstar guard. His presence or absence hasn’t made a difference in Dallas’ fortunes. Their winning percentage is nearly identical with or without the veteran guard.
The 31-year-old’s addition derailed their campaign last season, as they went 9-16 and missed the playoffs after trading for the disgruntled Nets superstar. The Mavericks wrote it off as a blip and expected the team to improve this year and potentially contend for the NBA title. However, those expectations haven’t panned out. They are hanging onto a play-in spot, and the teams above them have built a comfortable lead in the standings.
The Mavericks have gone backward since landing Kyrie Irving. The one-year-long sample size suggests that Luka Doncic and Irving’s partnership isn’t yielding the results the team expected. Although injuries have been a major contributing factor to that.
