Kyrie Irving Downgraded To Doubtful For Dallas Mavericks’ Home Opener Against San Antonio Spurs
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving has been downgraded to doubtful for the Dallas Mavericks’ home opener Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, according to the team’s updated injury report. Earlier in the day, he was listed as questionable with the same designation, left knee injury management.
On the same report, Zaccharie Risacher (right hip soreness) and Morez Johnson Jr. (right shin splints) moved up to probable. Max Christie is still questionable with a right shin contusion, and Jett Howard improved from doubtful to questionable with right calf tightness and soreness.
Dallas has already ruled out Cooper Flagg (left shoulder sprain), Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery), and Caleb Martin (right thumb sprain) for the 7 p.m. CT tip at American Airlines Center, the second night of a back-to-back.
Kyrie Irving’s Status Against The San Antonio Spurs
Before Friday’s 121-105 win at Indiana, Mavericks coach Dusty May confirmed that Irving is on a minutes restriction in his return from a torn left ACL. The staff has been working with Irving on how to stagger those minutes, May said.
“We spoke about it a couple times and obviously leaning on his feedback and what his expectations are certain parts of the game and being flexible and discussing [with] him how to get him in the best rhythm. But anytime you’re on a minute restriction, you can’t roll out your normal rotations and flow,” May said. “And so once again, it’s a collaborative effort between the staff [and] then also with the guys that are in with them. And then also how we stagger his minutes so we don’t have that long drought that we had.”
In 24:55 at Indiana, Irving scored 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting before fouling out for the first time in his career with 4:23 to go. He met his minutes, Irving said afterward, but came up short as a leader.
“Technically, technically I played my minutes. Technically I did what I was supposed to do in the game,” Irving said. “But just from a mental standpoint, I gotta be better as a leader out there.”
Who Ran The Point After Irving Fouled Out
Naji Marshall and Marcus Sasser ran the offense over the final four minutes Friday. Off the bench, Marshall finished with 15 points and 6 assists, and Sasser added 6 points and 3 assists.
“I know my value out there in terms of being able to settle the game down, but it was a great lesson for all of us tonight, including myself, to trust the guys,” Irving explained. “Naji was at the point guard position, Sass was at the point guard position. I think they did a great job of just settling us in. Great learning lesson for us down the stretch when we don’t have our pure creators out there, so they did a great job.”
Changes Elsewhere On The Mavericks’ Injury Report
Risacher played 31:46 off the bench at Indiana, finishing with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. In 16:49, the rookie Johnson added 8 points and 6 rebounds.
Christie logged a team-high 37:52 in the win and scored 16 points to go with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Howard sat out Friday with the calf tightness that still has him questionable for Saturday.
An MRI on Saturday revealed a mild left shoulder sprain for Flagg, who will be re-evaluated next week. After the Spurs game, Dallas travels to face the Miami Heat on Monday.
