‘Certainly A Chance’: Kyrie Irving Cleared For Both Nights Of A Dallas Mavericks Back-To-Back For First Time Since ACL Tear

DALLAS — Kyrie Irving is off the Dallas Mavericks’ injury report for Monday’s game against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center, the second night of a home back-to-back. Irving sat the second night of Dallas’ only other back-to-back this season. Monday would be the first time he plays both nights of one since he tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025.

Irving had 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists in 29 minutes in Sunday’s 130-93 win over the Brooklyn Nets and did not play in the fourth quarter. Before that game, Mavericks coach Dusty May said Monday’s call would come after Irving woke up, with the medical staff weighing in.

“From the beginning, it’s more or less been play this game, and then let’s see where we are tomorrow,” May said. “See where we are when we wake up, see how the body feels, talk to the medical staff about the scientific approach to it, and then we’ll make our decision after that. So it’s much more fluid on the second day of a back-to-back.”

Kyrie Irving Sat The Second Night Of Dallas’ First Back-To-Back

Irving opened the season on a minutes restriction, which May confirmed before the Oct. 23 game in Indianapolis. That night, Irving scored 24 points in 24 minutes, 55 seconds and fouled out for the first time in his career. He moved from questionable to doubtful on the next day’s injury reports, and Dallas ruled him out against the San Antonio Spurs with left knee injury management.

Playing in Indianapolis did not lock in the Oct. 24 decision either way, May said that night.

“It was more, he’s ready to play at Indiana. Let’s play that and let’s not make any decisions in advance. Let’s just take this one day at a time and plan accordingly,” May explained. “But it was several conversations, and there wasn’t one thing that tilted it one way or the other.”

May said then that there was “certainly a chance” Irving would play both nights of a later back-to-back. Irving sat again Nov. 2 against the Sacramento Kings under the same listing, and May said before that game that the schedule was “a big part of it.” The winless Kings beat Dallas 115-100. The Mavericks are 6-2 with Irving this season and 0-2 without him.

Irving On Building Back To A Full Workload

Irving played 34 minutes, 53 seconds in a 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets on Oct. 30 and scored 35 points, his most since Feb. 25, 2025. Afterward, he called it probably the first game of his last four in which he played without thinking about how his leg felt.

“I feel great, I feel great. It’s great to build up to this moment,” Irving said. “I think thinking about how we were talking about the minutes restriction, the first game versus Houston, and how it’s kind of controlling my internal frustration.”

“But I trust our coaching staff, I trust our medical staff in being able to develop a great dialogue and getting to this point, and just take patience,” Irving continued. “And I’m gonna enjoy it, but also give myself a lot of grace as I’m continuing to get better throughout the season.”

Five days later at San Antonio, he played 35 minutes, 58 seconds, his most this season, and scored 29 points. Entering Sunday, Irving averaged 21.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 29.6 minutes. He was shooting 45.5% from the field, 35.6% from 3-point range, and 90.5% at the line.

In the Oct. 23 win at Indiana, Irving went 8-of-15 from the field, 5-of-10 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 at the line. His teams are 19-19 in his 38 career games against the Pacers, and he has averaged 22.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in those meetings.

Indiana (3-7) ruled out Tyrese Haliburton (left hamstring strain), Johnny Furphy (right ACL repair surgery), and Ben Sheppard (left meniscus surgery). Rookie Morez Johnson Jr. is questionable for Dallas with a left shin/tibia contusion.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT. After a game at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, the Mavericks play their next back-to-back Saturday and Sunday, at the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics.