Is Kyrie Irving playing tonight vs. Denver Nuggets? Latest injury update from Dallas Mavericks (November 3)
Kyrie Irving was sidelined for the last two games of the Dallas Mavericks due to a sprain in his left foot. Despite his absence, the Mavs won both games and extended their record to 4-0. The team received good news about Irving’s availability ahead of their In-Season opener against the Denver Nuggets.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the 2016 NBA champion will return to the Mavs’ lineup against the defending champions.
While the team would finally have their stars back in the action, coach Jason Kidd will be absent. The Mavs coach has been sidelined while he recovers from a non-COVID illness.
Additionally, Maxi Kleber, the power forward, is also questionable against the Nuggets. He dislocated his right small toe in the Mavs’ game against the Bulls.
The In-Season Tournament will kick off on Friday, November 3, and consists of two stages: Group Play and the Knockout Rounds. The tournament will eventually culminate on December 9. The semifinals and the finals are set to be played in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.
Kyrie Irving is being careful with his injury
Kyrie Irving told reporters that he had taken a different approach in recovering from the injury.
Speaking to DallasBasketball.com on Wednesday, Irving said he wanted to take every necessary step to avoid injury lingering throughout the season.
"[I’m] doing everything possible to be smart about where my body is. Just taking the necessary steps with our training staff to ensure I stay in shape. One of the worst things is to deal with injuries in preseason, but it's all part of the game. You don't want an injury to carry over into the longevity of the season."
In the first two games Irving played this season, he averaged 19.5 points, 6.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds. So far into the season, Irving has not been the best version of himself. He is shooting a career-low both from the field and the three-point line. He is shooting 39% from the field and 16.7 percent from the three-point line.
It would be interesting to see whether Irving fares alongside Luka Doncic or if his performance degrades in the upcoming games.