DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Kyrie Irving left Memphis in a walking boot after injuring his foot in the third quarter of Monday's 112-108 loss to the Grizzlies.
Irving had his foot stepped on by Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks, and Irving played through the pain but struggled from the field after that point, going 0-for-8 in the fourth quarter. Irving said he didn't think Brooks did it on purpose and they just got their feet caught together.
Irving injured the big toe on his right foot earlier in the month, which forced him to miss three games from March 11 to March 15. He said Monday night's injury forced his toe to twist at an odd angle, which reaggravated the injury.
Irving told the media after the game that the walking boot was “just precautionary” to protect his right foot.
“I just got to make it back home to Dallas and then start my recovery work and do everything I can to prepare for the next game,” Irving said. “Take time to rest and exhaust all my options possible to be ready to play the next game.”
Irving's injury – regardless of the severity – adds to concerns for the team's ailing health, most notably among the team's two superstars. Luka Doncic hasn't played since March 8 in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
With the loss to the Grizzlies on Monday night, Dallas fell to the seventh spot in the Western Conference with a 36-36 record and only 10 games remaining in the regular season.
Irving's health – alongside Doncic – will be under the microscope of the public eye, definitely from Mavs fans, as the team eyes a potential playoff run in the coming weeks.
“Just looking forward to the next 48 hours to see what I can do,” Irving said. “It’s unfortunate again. I felt like we had this game.”
Dallas faces No. 6 seed Golden State Warriors (37-36) on Wednesday in American Airlines Center.
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