Dallas Mavs Rule Out Kyrie Irving vs. Washington Wizards: 'Not Taking Any Chances'
WASHINGTON D.C. — The Dallas Mavericks will face the Washington Wizards without superstar Kyrie Irving in the lineup. He has continued to manage a left foot sprain but will be sidelined, given Wednesday's game marks the second night of a back-to-back.
Irving's foot sprain caused him to be sidelined for two of the Mavs' regular season matchups earlier this season. The injury was described as bothering him, and the team didn't want to risk anything, prompting him to be ruled out.
“His left foot is bothering him. It's sore," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said before the game. "We’re not going to take any chances. So, he’s out.”
When Irving was initially sidelined due to his foot sprain, he expressed the importance of taking the necessary steps to avoid an injury becoming a season-long issue.
"[I’m] doing everything possible to be smart about where my body is," Irving told DallasBasketball.com in early November. "Just taking the necessary steps with our training staff to ensure I stay in shape. One of the worst things is to deal with injuries in preseason, but it's all part of the game. You don't want an injury to carry over into the longevity of the season."
Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Irving highlighted how his job "ramps up" when he's sidelined, enabling him to focus on still making an impact for the group by being a good teammate and providing his insight as a leader as the team tries to execute with him in addition to watching film.
"The job doesn't stop; it even ramps up [when injured]," Irving told DallasBasketball.com in early November. "You get to focus on the little nuances of your game, your mental sharpness, and how connected you are to the group still and just making sure you're being a good teammate. So it ramps up, but nobody wants to be on the sideline with anything. Just take it one day at a time and be smart."
The Mavs' next chance to have Irving in the lineup will come on Saturday when they face the Milwaukee Bucks, but it'll be on the second night of a back-to-back, with the next matchup being against the Sacramento Kings at home.
