Kyrie Irving Tears ACL, Out for the Season

The Dallas Mavericks have suffered a major setback after All-Star guard Kyrie Irving was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. The team announced the news Tuesday, expressing confidence that the 32-year-old will "come back stronger than ever." Irving sustained the injury late in the first quarter of Monday night's loss to the Sacramento Kings. This is a devastating blow for the Mavericks, as Irving had been their most reliable player, appearing in 50 of the team's 62 games this season.

Irving’s Impact and Mavericks’ Playoff Hopes

Before the injury, Irving was delivering an elite offensive season, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while shooting over 40% from three-point range and 90% from the free-throw line. According to ESPN Research, he is the only NBA player this season to reach those marks and has achieved that level of efficiency five times in his career—a feat only surpassed by Stephen Curry. In addition, Irving had been carrying a heavy workload, averaging 39.3 minutes per game over his last 10 games. This stretch began after Dallas traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, forcing Irving to take on an even larger role. Following the announcement of his injury, the Mavericks’ NBA title odds plummeted from 66-1 to 200-1 at ESPN BET.

More Injury Woes for Dallas

Irving’s injury is just the latest setback for a Mavericks team already plagued by injuries:

• Anthony Davis, who was acquired in the Dončić trade, has played just one game for Dallas due to an adductor strain.

• Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and Caleb Martin are also sidelined.

• Jaden Hardy suffered a right ankle sprain in Monday’s game.

With a 32-30 record, the Mavericks are barely holding onto the 10th seed in the Western Conference, sitting 3.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the final play-in tournament spot.

Irving’s Future with the Mavericks

Irving is under contract through next season but holds a $43 million player option for 2025-26, the final year of his three-year, $126 million deal signed in 2023. Without Irving, Dallas faces an uphill battle to remain in the Western Conference playoff race, as their season continues to be derailed by injuries at a critical moment.

See more in: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44107102/sources-mavericks-kyrie-irving-torn-acl-rest-season