Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving is questionable to play in a game Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is still battling a nagging foot injury. The veteran guard is questionable for a Saturday game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, per the NBA Injury Report. Irving has seen limited minutes recently for the Mavericks due to foot soreness.
Irving is needed desperately Saturday as Dallas plays a very difficult game against the surging Thunder. Dallas struggled in a recent 108-94 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, partly due to Irving having to ration minutes while being hurt. The guard only scored 10 points in that game for the Mavericks, well below his average of nearly 24 a game.
Irving has seen a decrease this year in minutes, points, and rebounds compared to last year for the Mavericks. Dallas enters the game at 11-7, and Irving knows that his team can use him in the game. The team is depleted at the moment as Tim Hardaway Jr. has been nursing a back injury and Luka Doncic missed the Grizzlies game due to the birth of his newborn daughter. Hardaway Jr. is also questionable for the Thunder game, while Dante Exum and Maxi Kleber are out. Doncic is not listed on the injury report and is expected to play, per Fan Nation.
The Mavericks have lost four of their last six games, and have given up at least 100 points in all of those games. Dallas must find a way to improve their play on the defensive end of the floor, and having Kyrie Irving gives them an opportunity to do that with his talent and experience.
Oklahoma City enters the contest at 12-6 and is on fire right now. The Thunder have won 7 of their last 9, with their two losses coming by a combined 7 points. Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are pacing the team, averaging about 48 points between them.
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