ORLANDO – Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament
in his left knee.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Riley J Williams MD, Chief of Sports Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Irving suffered the injury late in the first quarter on March 3 at American Airlines Center against the Sacramento Kings. The Mavs said further medical updates regarding Irving’s status will be provided as appropriate.
The day after Irving’s injury, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison said in a statement: “There aren’t words to fully describe who Kyrie Irving is to this team or what he means to us as an organization. Kyrie is the heart and soul of this team and he has embraced the city of Dallas as his home and our fans as an extension of his own family.
“I’ve been fortunate to have witnessed his journey, his continued evolution and growth over the years. And I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to see him approach the game of basketball with the same energy and fierce passion that he did as a young man. His work ethic and absolute dedication to his craft is cut from the same cloth of greats. All my thoughts and that of our staff are with Kyrie and his family. And we are confident that he will come back from this stronger than ever just like he always has.”
As the Mavs prepare to play the Orlando Magic on Thursday at the Kia Center, Irving finished this season averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals. He also shot 47.3 percent from the field, 40.1 percent from three-point range and 91.6 percent from the free throw line.
Here are some other nuggets surrounding Thursday’s game against the Magic.
*Thursday’s game is the third of a four-game road trip for the Mavs, who played two games in New York earlier this week. The Mavs won in Brooklyn (120-101) against the Nets on Monday, and lost to the New York Knicks (128-113) on Tuesday. After playing Orlando, the Mavs will close out this road trip Saturday in Chicago before returning home to entertain Brooklyn on Monday and Atlanta on Wednesday.
*This serves as the opener of a three-game home stand for Orlando, who will also host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday and the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. The Magic enters Thursday’s game riding a three-game winning streak. Orlando won in Washington (120-105) last Friday, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (118-106) at home this past Monday, and slipped past the Hornets in Charlotte (111-104) on Tuesday.
*Mavs forward Naji Marshall has had a very hot hand lately. Over the past 12 games, Marshall has averaged 23.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg while shooti
ng a sizzling 54.1 percent from the field. He also has scored 20 or more points on nine occasions – and 30 or more points two times — during that 12-game span. Marshall collected a career-high 34 points against Phoenix on March 9, then topped that with a career-high 38 points against the Knicks this past Tuesday on 17-of-25 shooting.
*Forward Paolo Banchero is the Magic’s most heralded player. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero is averaging 25.7 ppg and 7.2 rpg. He also has tallied 20 or more points 29 times this season, 30 or more points on 15 occasions, and 40 or more points four times. In addition, Banchero popped in a career-high 50 points during a game against Indiana on Oct. 28.
*After the Phoenix Suns lost to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, the race for the final two spots in the Western Conference play-in tournament got even tighter. The Sacramento Kings are in ninth place out West with a 35-37 record, the Suns are 10th with a 35-38 record, and the Mavs are 11th with a 35-38 record. In order to nab one of the play-in spots, the Mavs must finish ahead of Sacramento and Phoenix in the standings because they lost the season series to both the Kings (3-0) and the Suns (3-1).
*For the Magic, forward Franz Wagner has led or tied for the team lead in scoring 31 times, in rebounding on 11 occasions, and in assists 27 times. He also has scored 20 or more times 41 times this season, and 30 or more points on 14 occasions. Wagner averages 24.4 ppg and 5.7 rpg.
*Mavs forward Anthony Davis is listed as questionable with a left adductor strain. In his first game since Feb. 8 and his second game with the Mavs, Davis collected 12 points, six rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes during Monday’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (35-38) at ORLANDO MAGIC (35-38)
When: 6 p.m., Thursday
Where: Kia Center, Orlando
TV: KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream, NBA TV
Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
X: @DwainPrice
Share and comment