Just when things seemed bad for the Dallas Mavericks, they got worse. Already grappling with the injury of Anthony Davis, the team faced another blow as Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings. The injury will sideline Irving for the rest of the NBA season.
With hopes pinned on Davis’s eventual return—after playing just one game for the Mavericks—the news of Irving’s devastating injury hit hard. Former NBA champion Paul Pierce weighed in on the Mavericks’ predicament during a segment of “Speak” on Fox Sports.
Pierce made a bold but realistic claim about their playoff chances. “When you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it just got worse… [The Mavs] might not even make the playoffs… I’m extremely sad for Kyrie,” Pierce said.
The Mavericks’ struggles have compounded since trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers. Injuries have plagued the roster, with Davis sidelined, key players like Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively missing games, and now their leader, Irving, out for the season.
Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks lies on the court after suffering an injury against the Sacramento Kings. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Irving’s message about his injury
In the wake of the news, Kyrie Irving took to Instagram Live on Tuesday to share an emotional yet hopeful message with fans. “Just wanted to let you guys know I’m OK,” Irving began. “I’m not gonna lie to you guys, yeah, this one stinks for sure… I’m just trying to explain to you guys the human emotions that I’m going through right now. It’s tough”.
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Despite his initial sadness, Irving quickly shifted to a message of resilience. “I will be back, and I will be better. It’s gonna take some time,” he assured fans. “I’m going to give myself some grace, like I’ve been extending grace to everybody else. I’m going to take some time to be selfish and recover, get better, get healthy”.
The 32-year-old guard also reflected on the support system around him. “I will be OK… I got a great support system around me. I have incredible family members and friends, and I know I’m supported, not just here in America, but internationally,” he said.
Irving ended his message with advice for young athletes aspiring to go pro, sharing insight into the challenges of the sport. “Shout out to all the young ones out there aspiring to be a professional athlete,” he said. “Learning how to deal with adversity, pain, and suffering is just as important as learning how to deal with success and happiness”.
