Mavericks' Kyrie Irving set to miss Kings clash with shoulder soreness
12/30/2024 04:59 PM
The Dallas Mavericks are already trying to make do without Luka Doncic after he suffered a calf strain on Christmas Day. The Mavericks have split their two games since Doncic has been out of the lineup, knocking off the Phoenix Suns and losing to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Now, the Mavericks will have to play without both of their stars. Guard Kyrie Irving is out for Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings due to right shoulder soreness, according to Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.
Irving has had another strong season, but he becomes crucial to the Mavericks’ operation when Doncic is out. With the star player on the sideline, Irving becomes the player that handles a majority of the ball handling duties. He is also the Mavericks’ only real shot creator, so the burden falls entirely on him in late clock and late game situations.
Irving struggled with his shot last Friday in a win over the Suns without Doncic, as he scored just 20 points on 6-for-21 shooting. However, the team was still able to pull together and pull out a defensive struggle.
The next night, a loss to the Trail Blazers on Saturday, Irving had no such issues putting the ball in the basket. He finished that game with 46 point son 16-for-26 shooting, showcasing his shotmaking and scoring ability from all over the floor. However, the rest of his team couldn’t get it going and the Mavericks fell.
Now, Dallas will be forced to manufacture some offense on Monday night without Irving in the lineup. Players such as Spencer Dinwiddie and potentially Jaden Hardy become crucial figures for the Mavericks, and Klay Thompson may even have to reach back into his creation bag to help out on that end of the floor.
Dallas will have its chances to find success against a Kings team that is absolutely reeling after firing Mike Brown. The stunning coaching change didn’t help the Kings in Doug Christie’s first game as interim head coach, as the Kings lost to the Lakers on Saturday. They will get a great chance to get back in the win column after six consecutive losses against a shorthanded Mavericks team.
The post Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving set to miss Kings clash with shoulder soreness appeared first on ClutchPoints.
