Is Kyrie Irving playing tonight? Latest updates for Mavericks at Kings on Feb 11
The Dallas Mavericks are not behind in their first two games with Kyrie Irving. The 30-year-old superstar walked into a Blockbuster deal and took the team with her. Dallas is playing fantastic and they’ve won three games in a row before playing in Sacramento on Saturday.
The Mavs defeated the Kings Friday night behind a 25-point double-double by Irving. He solved the team’s problems with free throws in the fourth quarter and late game, but fans are still waiting for Kyrie and Luka to play together. Doncic has missed four games in a row due to a heel injury.
The wait appears to be over as Luka is expected to play the Kings in Sacramento on Saturday night. Will Irving play the second night of a back-to-back game? Here’s a look at the latest.
Kyrie played back-to-backs in both ends with the Brooklyn Nets, and head coach Jason Kidd played 35 minutes against him on Friday night. That’s a normal workload for Irving, so there shouldn’t be any additional concerns. It looks like he’ll be playing on Saturday night, but check back just before the tip for a definitive update.
Luka Doncic is expected to return but he hasn’t been officially declared active yet. Maxi Kleber (thigh) and Davis Bertans (calf) will be out for at least two more weeks. Will the Mavs decide to rest someone else on the second night of a back-to-back duel? Stay tuned for the latest.
The Kings went into Friday’s game healthy but could choose to rest players in the second meeting. Keep an eye out for updates throughout the day.
Irving has been healthy this season. He has not played in 13 games but eight of those have been through suspension. The eight-time All-Star is playing for a massive contract in the offseason, so he has around $200 million reasons to get on the court and shine on the track.
Luka and Kyrie were scheduled to appear on the pitch together with the Mavericks for the first time on February 11. It’s only the first game for their partnership, so lower the expectations. Nevertheless, the Mavs should preferably go into the competition. A win puts them in a tie with the Kings overall and gives Dallas a key tiebreaker for seeding in the playoffs.
The Mavs have just two games before the All-Star break after tonight. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will both start in Salt Lake City on February 19 when the NBA showcases its top talent.
Dallas has six straight home games after the break, with the top three coming against underdog opponents. Can the Mavericks finish the pre-All-Star break strong and pick up where they left off after the break? Here are their next five games after Saturday night.
Monday, February 13 vs Minnesota Timberwolves at 7:30pm CT
Wednesday, February 15 at Denver Nuggets at 8:00 p.m. CT
Thursday, February 23 vs. San Antonio Spurs at 7:30pm CT
Sunday, February 26 vs Los Angeles Lakers at 2:30pm CT
Tuesday, February 28 vs. Indiana Pacers at 7:30pm CT