By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Resuming action next week, the Dallas Mavericks will miss Kyrie Irving.
Irving, 31, was sidelined with no timetable for his return after an MRI revealed a right heel contusion, the team announced Saturday evening.
Pending further medical evaluation and barring a setback in recovery, the experienced combo guard is likely to miss at least a couple of games moving deeper into the schedule of the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season. He was injured during the away win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
“I will be fine,” Irving noted in a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Defeating the Blazers in Moda Center, the Mavs jumped to 13-8. They sit third in the Western Conference, four games behind the leading Minnesota Timberwolves, just over the first fourth of the 82-game schedule. The team coached by Jason Kidd is heading into a back-to-back featuring an away game opposite the Memphis Grizzlies and the newly-crowned In-Season Tournament champions Los Angeles Lakers in American Airlines Center on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
Returning to Dallas for treatment, Irving did not travel with his teammates to Memphis. He is considered highly doubtful to play against the Lakers as well. With his team staying home, the next opportunity to return to action would be versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
Partnering with Slovenian Luka Doncic from the start of the new season for the first time, he has averaged 23.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per contest.
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