Kyrie Irving Injury Insight: Top Performance Coach Mike Robertson Breaks Down Bulging Disc Recovery and Challenges

The Dallas Mavericks will be without Luka Dončić for most of January due to a left calf strain. Now, Kyrie Irving is also sidelined, with no clear timetable for his return, as he deals with a bulging disc in his back. The Mavericks, who opened the season 20-11, have lost four straight, slipping to 20-15. Each game without Irving and Dončić becomes crucial in maintaining playoff positioning in the Western Conference.

To better understand the nature of Irving’s injury, DallasHoopsJournal.com spoke with Mike Robertson, the President of Robertson Training Systems and co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (IFAST). Robertson is a respected performance coach specializing in injury prevention and rehabilitation for elite athletes. He shed light on the complexities of bulging disc injuries and why recovery timelines can vary significantly.

“So essentially, what ends up happening is you’ve got your vertebrae right, and then you have the discs that work as spacers in between. In a healthy spine, everything is kind of in a good position, and there’s enough disc kit,” Robertson explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com, describing the anatomy of the injury.

Robertson pointed out that while a healthy spine functions smoothly, the physical demands on professional athletes, combined with natural wear and tear, can lead to disc degeneration over time.

“But you know, due to aging, wear and tear, a lot of athletes just have certain spinal positions that kind of predispose, and they wear down the disc,” Robertson explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Then, essentially, what ends up happening is the contents of the disc end up pushing back into the nerves. And so now you get numbness, tingling, potentially even muscle weakness.”

According to Robertson, this compression of the nerves often leads to symptoms that extend beyond typical back pain and can severely impact athletic performance.

“It’s really hard to put a timeline on these things,” Robertson told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It depends on how long they’ve dealt with it. It depends on how bad the symptoms are. Obviously, if you’ve got like numbness, tingling, or weakness, you know that those are harder symptoms to manage… So it’s not like you’re just in pain – you’re physically not able to perform at your highest level.”

As Robertson noted, the recovery process for disc injuries can vary significantly depending on the severity and how the athlete’s body responds to treatment.

“It could be a couple of weeks. It could be a couple of months. It really just depends on how bad it is and how much pain he’s willing to tolerate,” Robertson told DallasHoopsJournal.com.

Robertson’s insight underscores how unpredictable disc issues can be, reinforcing why the Mavericks will likely approach Irving’s situation cautiously. Beyond physical therapy and pain management, much of the focus will likely be on symptom relief and maintaining strength without risking further aggravation.

Irving has played at an All-Star level for the Mavericks this season, averaging 24.3 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.6 rebounds over 30 games. His absence significantly pressures Dallas, which is looking to stay competitive in the Western Conference race.

The Mavericks will face the Memphis Grizzlies at 7 p.m. CT at FedEx Forum in an attempt to end their losing streak.