Kyrie Irving calls out report that Mavericks were playing him too much before ACL injury

Irving believes his injury was a freak accident.

Feb 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks received brutal news when it was announced that Kyrie Irving tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings on March 3rd after he stepped on Jonas Valanciunas' foot and landed awkwardly on his left leg, causing his knee to hyperextend. He'd stay in the game to shoot the free throws but was helped to the locker room by Anthony Davis, and that would be the last time we'd see him on the court in the 2024-25 season.

In the days after the injury, numbers started surfacing that no one had played more minutes recently than Kyrie Irving, which is true. Since he returned from a bulging disc in his back on January 17th, no one in the NBA had been playing more than Kyrie Irving's 38.7 MPG. Even if the accident occurred in a freak play, playing a 32-year-old with an injury history that many minutes likely isn't the best idea.

READ MORE: Mark Cuban reveals how Mavericks can win back fans after Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

Jason Kidd challenged the notion that the workload led to Irving's injury with a long pre-game rant before Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, and it seems that Kyrie Irving is doing the same with a post on his Instagram story.

Two things can be true: Irving's injury was a freak play that wasn't caused by too many minutes, but he was also playing too much. That's what happens when you trade away a generational ball-handler like Luka Doncic, leaving Coach Kidd with Jaden Hardy and Spencer Dinwiddie as the other playmakers on the roster. Those two aren't good enough to contend on a nightly basis, so the Mavs had no choice but to play Irving more than normal, and Irving accepted that challenge.

READ MORE: Promising Mavericks forward expected to undergo season-ending surgery

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