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BOSTON — The Dallas Mavericks have ruled out Kyrie Irving for Sunday’s game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, less than a day after he scored 34 points in a loss at Cleveland. The NBA’s official injury report lists him with left knee injury management.
Irving had been listed as questionable on earlier versions of Sunday’s report. The same update, less than two hours before tip-off, ruled out Max Christie with a left ankle sprain after he had been doubtful. Christie hurt the ankle in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s 133-94 loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves and did not play Saturday.
Sunday finishes a back-to-back for Dallas, which lost 127-117 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday at Rocket Arena. The Mavericks have lost two straight and are 7-6.
Managing Back-To-Backs After A Torn ACL
Irving tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025, and missed the 2025-26 season. Last week, he played both games of a back-to-back for the first time since his return, logging 29 minutes against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 8.
The next night, Irving scored 35 points in 38 minutes in a 125-122 win over the Indiana Pacers. After that game, he did not go into the specifics of the medical staff’s injury-management plan. He described a month of conditioning work to build up to that point, a minutes restriction along the way, and learning how his body recovers after games. On Nov. 9, with Dallas dealing with several injuries, Irving said his preparation for the second night of a back-to-back does not depend on whether he is in the lineup.
“I think it’s very important for me to be prepared, whether I’m playing or not, in the back-to-backs,” Irving said.
Kyrie Irving And Cooper Flagg At Cleveland
Irving scored 20 of his 34 points in the third quarter Saturday, when Dallas cut an 18-point halftime deficit to nine. He shot 11-of-25 from the field and 7-of-16 from three-point range. Mavericks coach Dusty May said Irving has been choosing when to score, and that the defenders he draws have been opening shots for his teammates.
“He’s picking his spots, and obviously he’s garnering a lot of attention,” May said. “And I think he’s getting some other guys really good looks, and we just, as a group, we need to play better.”
“We need to shoot better,” May continued. “We definitely need to defend and rebound at a much higher level with more urgency.”
Dallas shot 41.9% from the field and 14-of-44 from three-point range. Cleveland finished with 31 assists to the Mavericks’ 23 and won the rebounding battle 54-39.
The player Irving has been trying to shield is Cooper Flagg, the first overall pick in 2025. Flagg scored 18 points Saturday but shot 6-of-19 from the field and missed all six of his three-point attempts. Irving said opponents are getting physical with Flagg in his second season, and that the response cannot fall on Flagg by himself.
“He’s in his sophomore year. I think I said in the beginning of the season as well, he has a target on his back. He knows that,” Irving said. “It’s my job to alleviate a lot of the pressure that he feels. But he’s just being battle tested. Teams are getting up in his chest.”
“Teams are being physical, and this is the time where we all got to fight back together, and it’s not just on him,” Irving continued. “It’s obviously we got to bring the best out of him too, and he’s got to bring the best out of himself.”
Irving and Flagg combined for 52 of Dallas’ 117 points Saturday. Flagg also had 8 rebounds and 5 assists in 38 minutes without a turnover.
Rest Of The Dallas Mavericks Injury Report
Santi Aldama is questionable with a left ankle sprain after playing 16 minutes off the bench at Cleveland. Daniel Gafford is probable with a right shoulder stinger.
Caleb Martin is available with a right thumb splint. He had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and 8 rebounds Saturday.
Dereck Lively II is out after right foot surgery. Tarik Biberović is out with right heel bursitis, and Sergio De Larrea is out with a right knee sprain. All three also missed Saturday’s game.
Irving played two seasons in Boston after Cleveland traded him to the Celtics in 2017. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT at TD Garden, where Dallas will be without five players.
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