Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving is currently dealing with a left foot injury after injuring his groin in the preseason. The eight-time All-Star told NBA reporter Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated that he’s being smart with his body so his injuries don’t linger.
“[I’m] doing everything possible to be smart about where my body is,” Irving said. “Just taking the necessary steps with our training staff to ensure I stay in shape. One of the worst things is to deal with injuries in preseason, but it’s all part of the game. You don’t want an injury to carry over into the longevity of the season.”
Irving has appeared in two games this season. He’s averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists. The Mavericks, who missed the play-in tournament last season, are off to a 4-0 start.
“The job doesn’t stop; it even ramps up [when injured],” Irving said. “You get to focus on the little nuances of your game, your mental sharpness, and how connected you are to the group still and just making sure you’re being a good teammate. So it ramps up, but nobody wants to be on the sideline with anything. Just take it one day at a time and be smart.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks Updates
Irving re-signed with the Mavericks on a three-year, $126 million contract on the first day of free agency this past offseason. The NBA champion has a 15% trade kicker in his new contract with Dallas. A trade kicker is the percentage of a player’s salary that is awarded as a bonus in the event of a trade.
The Mavericks won just 38 games in 2022-23. The team was only 5-11 in games Irving and Luka Doncic played together. That was the worst winning percentage (.313) for a pair of teammates who were both All-Stars since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976-77, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Irving and Doncic are two of the best players in the NBA. The Mavericks will only go as far as their two superstars can take them.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks Updates
While Irving recovers from his foot injury, Doncic will have to continue to put up stellar numbers. He’s averaging 33.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists on the season.
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