FILE– Kyrie Irving #11 talks with Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd through the second quarter in opposition to the Boston Celtics in Recreation 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airways Heart on June 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. . Tim Heitman/Getty Photographs/AFP
MILWAUKEE— Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd took problem Wednesday with media hypothesis that Kyrie Irving’s heavy workload over the past month led to the nine-time NBA All-Star’s season-ending knee harm.
Irving tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Monday within the first quarter of a 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Irving was fouled by DeMar DeRozan on a drive to the basket and his proper foot landed on the foot of the Kings’ Jonas Valanciunas.
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READ: Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving out for remainder of NBA season with torn ACL
“It’s a freak accident,” Kidd stated earlier than the Mavericks’ 137-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. “That’s the way it needs to be reported. However we’re not reporting it proper. We’re reporting on conspiracy theories.”
The 32-year-old Irving was averaging 36.1 minutes per sport to rank twelfth within the NBA heading into Wednesday’s motion. His workload had elevated within the month for the reason that Mavericks traded five-time all-NBA guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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He had performed not less than 40 minutes in every of his first 5 video games after the commerce. Irving averaged 39.3 minutes per sport in February.
“He invited that,” Kidd stated. “He wished that. However are we reporting that? Are we? No, we’re not reporting that. We’re reporting that we’re working somebody into the bottom. That’s not true. That’s his job, is to play. And he likes to play.
Mar 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) is helped off the courtroom by ahead Naji Marshall (13) and ahead Anthony Davis (3) through the second quarter in opposition to the Sacramento Kings on the American Airways Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Jerome Miron-Imagn Photographs
“And it’s all proper to play 40 minutes on the age of 32, in a month’s span. This isn’t the entire season, proper? I feel generally we’re taking issues just a little bit too far, or we’re not likely telling the reality as a result of we wish the likes or the hearts, or we wish any person to place us up on this platform of not telling the entire reality. As a result of it was a freak accident. It occurred early within the sport. We needs to be selling our athletes, our gamers to play extra minutes and play extra video games, however are we? Most likely not.”
READ: NBA: Kyrie Irving suffers knee harm, shoots free throws earlier than exit
Irving’s harm ended a banner season during which he averaged 24.7 factors, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists whereas making simply over 40% of his 3-point makes an attempt.
“That was actually a intestine punch, not only for Dallas and the Mavericks, however for basketball followers across the globe,” Mavericks teammate Klay Thompson stated after Wednesday’s sport. “Kyrie’s been our rock this yr. It’s like an unfillable void. We’ve acquired to rally round him and we’ve acquired to play laborious for him.
“That one harm, although.”
Irving’s harm was the newest setback for the Mavericks, who already had misplaced 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis to a groin harm in his Dallas debut final month following the commerce that despatched Doncic to the Lakers.
READ: NBA: Mavericks attempt to transfer on from gorgeous Luka Doncic commerce
Dallas is tenth within the West, placing the Mavericks on observe for the ultimate spot within the play-in event previous the playoffs.
The Mavericks had solely eight gamers out there in opposition to the Bucks because of all their accidents. Dallas’ beginning lineup included Max Christie, Spencer Dinwiddie, Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson and Dwight Powell. Thompson led the Mavericks with 28 factors.
Mavericks unavailable for Wednesday’s sport included Irving, Davis, Kai Jones (quadriceps pressure), Dante Exum (bruised proper foot), Jaden Hardy (sprained proper ankle), P.J. Washington Jr. (sprained proper ankle), Daniel Gafford (sprained proper knee), Caleb Martin (strained proper hip) and Dereck Vigorous II (stress fracture in proper ankle).
“We’re human,” Thompson stated of the adversity going through the Mavericks. “It’s very laborious. You must discover pleasure in enjoying the sport and enjoying for each other. Your character is revealed through the hardest occasions. It’s straightforward to be excessive and mighty if you’re successful video games and also you’re feeling nice.
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“The true check of your character is when issues don’t go your means.”
