On Monday, the team lost 122–98 to the Sacramento Kings. In the first quarter, the 6-foot-2 guard got hurt. When Irving tried to get past two Kings players on a drive to the basket, he landed badly on his left foot and overextended his knee while DeMar DeRozan fouled him.
The Mavericks star couldn't put any weight on his left leg after screaming in pain on the court. Even though his friends helped him to the free throw line, Irving insisted on making both of them. He did so while holding back tears.
LeBron James, who used to work with Irving, led tributes to the nine-time All-Star as it became more possible that his injury was serious. Several news sources reported early Tuesday morning that the 32-year-old player tore his ACL, ending his season.
Irving played in 50 games for Dallas this season and averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. He also shot 47.3 percent from the field and 40.1% from three-point range.
Since they sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers before the February trade deadline, the Mavericks have been going downhill. Since making changes in the middle of the season, Dallas has gone 6-7 and lost a lot of important players to illness.
Dallas's record dropped to 32-30, putting them in 10th place in the Western Conference standings after their loss to Sacramento on Monday. On the other hand, the Lakers are on a roll since pairing James with Doncic, who could be the NBA's most powerful superstar team.
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