It seems that Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving is playing through a foot injury that can be quite painful to deal with.
Earlier this month, Kyrie Irving suffered a foot injury in the Dallas Mavericks’ March 8 loss to the New Orlean Pelicans. The injury knocked him out of action for nearly 10 days before he made his return to the lineup last week against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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However, the 10-time All-Star sat out for the Mavericks’ controversial loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Giving star players maintenance days is not uncommon, but his latest missed game stands out because the Dallas Mavericks are fighting to avoid competing in the NBA Play-In Tournament with just nine games left on their schedule.
Dallas Mavericks record (’22-’23): 36-37
It seems that Irving sat out to give his right foot rest because it is not fully healed and he is playing through a notable issue that could haunt him for the remainder of the season. On Friday, The Athletic’s NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that Irving is currently dealing with a bout of plantar fasciitis.
“I’m told he’s been playing through and gutting out plantar fasciitis in his right foot. I’m told this is not considered to be a structural matter. More of a day-to-day, pain tolerance, nagging injury that he’s playing through. One Mavs executive told me today that he’s been the ultimate professional in Dallas, and also compared his preparation level to Dirk Nowitzki.”
– Shams Charania
As defined by the Mayo Clinic, plantar fasciitis “commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or when you stand up after sitting.”
Despite what can be a painful injury, Irving averaged well over 30 points in the two games after returning to the Dallas Mavericks lineup last week. However, it is an injury that has hampered many athletes in recent years and only gets better with an extended amount of rest, which Irving may not be able to get at this point in the season.