Mavericks' Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II Sidelined Against Pelicans, Hopeful for Friday's Game vs. Thunder

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans after initially indicating to reporters he would “most likely” play. Despite Irving’s optimism, he was listed as doubtful on the injury report with a lumbar back sprain Wednesday afternoon.

“I’m most likely going to play tomorrow,” Irving told reporters after Tuesday’s 118-90 loss against the Denver Nuggets. “So just give it a go and just keep trying to get my rhythm and get back into game shape. Just go from there.”

Irving’s lengthy pre-game workout was on Wednesday at Smoothie King Center, but it was downgraded from doubtful to out, with this game being the second night of a back-to-back. Head coach Jason Kidd is optimistic about Irving’s outlook to return to the lineup on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Mavericks quickly ruled out Dereck Lively II against the Pelicans, even on Wednesday’s first injury report submission. He suffered a right ankle sprain after playing only four minutes against the Nuggets. His injury isn’t viewed as long-term, with Kidd saying “hopefully” the second-year center could play on Friday. However, it remains to be seen how he will progress leading into the matchup.

Irving is managing what he describes as a bulging disc, but the team continues to label it a lumbar back sprain on the injury report. He returned Tuesday from a five-game absence but will sit out again as he recovers, scoring 11 points on 4 of 18 shooting in his return against the Denver Nuggets.

“Tonight really felt like I just hopped off the couch and decided to play an NBA game tonight,” Irving said. “The warm-up the last few days were good, but there’s nothing like being in an NBA game and just getting rhythm. So I’m grateful my teammates had my back out there. Obviously, it wasn’t the best performance for us.”

Irving is navigating the challenges of a back injury for the first time. After an MRI identified a bulging disc, he committed to figuring out the best course of action carefully. He acknowledges the importance of managing the injury carefully, but was pleased to return to the court and compete with his teammates.

“My back felt a lot better recently. The last almost two weeks have sucked,” Irving admitted. “I’ve never really had back troubles before, so when I got the MRI and found out it was a bulging disc, I spoke to a few experts, a few doctors, and also discussed it with some of my teammates and our coaching staff who have dealt with either surgery or just maintenance. It’s on and off, so I need to be very smart about managing it. I’m grateful I got a chance to get back out there and play some minutes.”

When asked whether he’s still managing pain, Irving described the need to adjust to “uncomfortable feelings” that sometimes arise in his hamstring and extend down his legs during the recovery process. It’s an injury that requires ongoing work with the training staff.

“I had to sit down every single time. I couldn’t really meditate,” Irving stated. “I was getting a lot of uncomfortable feeling down in my hamstring and also just down my legs. Just dealing with some uncomfortable stuff getting used to that. Being able to get some rest and come out feel better every single day the past like week or so.”

Irving is thankful that his bulging disc injury has not reached a severity that necessitates surgery. He has actively sought advice from others within the organization and has felt supported by the Mavericks’ organization.

“It’s a bulging disc in your back, so just got to do your best to manage it and it’s not to the point where it’s bad enough I need surgery, which I’m grateful to God,” Irving explained. “I have the support of my medical staff and a few other people in this locker room deal with the same thing. So just being smart about it. That’s it. Not being like too cautious.

Irving has averaged 23.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds over 31 games this season. He shoots 48.1% from the field and 43.5% from three-point range. His impact is essential for Dallas, especially with Luka Dončić sidelined with a left calf strain until likely early February.

The Mavericks’ next chance to re-include Irving in the lineup is Friday against the Thunder at the American Airlines Center.