Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has a bulging disc in his back that’s expected to sideline him for at least 1 to 2 weeks, ESPN reports.
It’s not clear from the report how or when Irving sustained the injury. Irving doesn’t yet have a target date to return to the court, according to the report.
The Mavericks are already playing without All-Star guard Luka Dončić, who’s sidelined with a calf strain that he suffered in Dallas’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas. It’s not clear when Dončić will return. The Mavericks announced on Dec. 28 that Dončić would be re-evaluated in one month.
The news is another blow for the reigning Western Conference champion Mavericks, who have been in a freefall since Dončić’s injury. Including the Christmas loss to Minnesota, the Mavericks have lost five of six games since Dončić suffered his calf strain. After a 19-10 start, Dallas has fallen to 20-15. Things don’t project to get any easier for the Mavericks, who are now down their two best players.
This is a breaking story that will be updated.
