The Dallas Mavericks, the reigning Western Conference champions, are currently 20-15. While this is not a bad record by any means, it is a bit disappointing given Dallas’ recent cold streak. Despite being 16-8 at one point, the Mavericks are 4-7 since then. Additionally, they are now on a four-game losing streak and have lost five of their last six. The Mavericks own the No. 6 seed in the West. However, they are slowly falling out of the playoff picture. Much of this has to do with the absence of Luka Dončić, who has missed the team’s last five games and will likely miss at least most of January. Unfortunately for the Mavericks, their injury luck is only getting worse. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Kyrie Irving suffered a back injury and will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks.
Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has a bulging disc in his back and is expected to miss at least 1 to 2 weeks, sources tell me and @espn_macmahon. There is optimism that treatment over the coming days will provide a return to play target date. pic.twitter.com/HuNjAadyMi
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 6, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Dallas Mavericks Get More Bad News On the Injury Front
Losing Kyrie Irving to Injury Is Far from Ideal
Losing Irving for any period of time is a difficult task to overcome as it is. It is especially more difficult with Doncic on the sidelines and the team starting in the midst of a losing streak. In his absence, the Mavericks will have to rely more heavily on Klay Thompson, who is having arguably the worst campaign of his career.
Through 30 games this season, Irving is averaging 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.2 steals. He is also shooting 49% from the field and 44.1% from beyond the arc. It will be difficult for Dallas to replace his presence, especially with Doncic on the sidelines. Fortunately for the team, Irving’s injury does not seem too serious.
The Last Word
The Mavericks will have a difficult schedule ahead of them in the next couple of weeks. They are set to take on the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets (twice), Oklahoma City Thunder (twice), Minnesota Timberwolves, and Boston Celtics through the following weeks. The Mavericks will likely be without Doncic for this entire slate. However, according to Charania’s report, Irving could make his return in a week.
As it stands, the Mavericks still look like a legitimate title contender once again. Despite their slump, they rank as the fifth-best offensive and 12th-best defensive team in the league. Once they get fully healthy, they should be able to turn things around and remind everybody they were in the NBA Finals less than a year ago. However, until they get there, it is crucial for the team to stay afloat.
The post Dallas Mavericks Get More Bad News On the Injury Front appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.