In a challenging evening for the Dallas Mavericks, star guard Kyrie Irving endured a left knee sprain during their game against the Sacramento Kings, a match that resulted in a 122-98 loss for Dallas. The incident occurred late in the first quarter when Irving was fouled by Sacramento’s DeMar DeRozan while driving to the basket. As Irving was airborne, his right foot landed on the foot of Kings’ player Jonas Valanciunas, leading to a loss of balance, an awkward landing, and a visible hyperextension of his left knee.
Despite the grim scenario, Irving’s determination led him to take two free throws, with tears streaming down his face, before leaving the court in visible agony. The Mavericks have not yet provided any detailed updates on the condition of his injury postgame. “It was just unlucky,” commented Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, expressing hope that the injury is not serious.
Following the incident, Irving remained on the floor, clutching his leg before being assisted to the locker room by injured forward Anthony Davis. After consulting with Kidd, Irving heroically returned to the court to make those two free throws, narrowing the Mavericks’ deficit to 23-18, before being ruled out for the remainder of the game and exiting to the tunnel with assistance.
Coach Kidd described Irving as a resilient player, embodying the spirit of late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who once shot crucial free throws after suffering a significant Achilles tendon injury in 2013. Irving has been a formidable asset for Dallas, averaging 25.0 points per game and emerging as the main sharpshooting option following the trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this year.
The Mavericks faced additional challenges, playing without several key players, including Davis, who injured his groin shortly after being acquired, and other sidelined teammates like Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and P.J. Washington Jr. In the third quarter, their bench strength further diminished as reserve guard Jaden Hardy exited the game with a right ankle sprain, leaving Dallas with just nine available players. “Every time we near someone’s return, another player falls out,” lamented Kidd. “Tonight, we lost both Hardy and Kai, and our numbers are dwindling.”
