Kyrie Irving's Health Will Make or Break Dallas Mavericks' Season

The veteran guard is entering his 13th year in the NBA and dealt with a handful of injuries last year, including one this offseason.

Keenan Womack | Aug 22, 2024

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) dribbles the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the second quarter in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

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Dallas Mavericks

Last season, Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was the second-best player in Dallas behind Luka Doncic, this despite playing just 58 games of the regular season out of a possible 82. He averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 35.0 minutes per game – given his age, his amount of floor time is more than impressive, but also gives insight into his health issues.

Hampered by foot, heel, and thumb injuries, Irving missed a handful of games last year, including 12 in a row in December. This stretch, in which the Mavericks went 6-6 and were marred by inconsistency, saw them relying completely on Doncic to carry them. The Mavericks had an 8-14 record without Irving on the floor in 2023-24, and when compared to their record with him playing, which was 42-18, the effect of his offense becomes even more obvious.

This offseason, it was announced that Irving had broken his hand while training, which required surgery. Though it is believed he will be back for training camp on October 1st, the concern cannot be downplayed as it fits the theme of bad injury luck for the Mavericks' star as of late.

Irving's impact can't be overstated in the Dallas offensive system. He has displayed his dazzling skillset over and over again, even after essentially changing positions from point guard to off guard due to the role of Luka Doncic as lead initiator. Irving still managed to average what he did scoring-wise, even in an offense that focuses heavily on isolations from Doncic and doesn't necessarily use a lot of off-ball actions.

His ability with the ball in his hands is well-documented, but playing shooting guard for the first time really in his career since playing with LeBron James in Cleveland illustrated that his offensive game can translate anywhere. Concerns about how he and Doncic would work together have been put to bed completely after this Finals run, which points to an important factor: Irving's health must remain stable for Dallas to have any chance of repeating as Western Conference Finals champions.

What does this mean for his floor time this year? Essentially, Irving may not be able to continue playing 35 minutes per game for a full season. It could require fewer minutes per game but if that allows for more games played, the sacrifice will be worth it. Untimely health problems will always come into play with any team, but these "use" injuries can be curbed with the right game plan.

Adding Klay Thompson to the mix will alleviate some of the scoring pressure, and could result in an increase in trust Jason Kidd has with the roster without Irving on the floor in small stretches. Thompson's screening prowess also translates to an easier life off the ball for Irving, who may not have to exert quite as much energy to get good looks.

Kyrie Irving's health will be paramount this season, and hopefully, for Dallas' sake, he can play in more than just 58 games this upcoming season.

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Published Aug 22, 2024

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.