Kyrie Irving Shows True Grit, Nails Free Throws Despite Knee Injury

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving showed real guts on the court Monday night. 

The 32-year-old went down with a knee injury in the first quarter of a 122-98 blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings, a defeat that stung even more with the loss of their leader.

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 03: (L-R) Naji Marshall #13, Kyrie Irving #11 and Max Christie #00 of the Dallas Mavericks pause during the first half against the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on March 03, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

It happened when Irving’s left knee buckled awkwardly after colliding with Kings defender Jonas Valanciunas on a layup attempt, resulting in a foul call against Valanciunas. 

Irving hit the floor and signaled for Mavericks medical staff but refused to leave the game immediately. Instead, he limped to the free-throw line, visibly emotional, and sank both shots despite knowing his knee was compromised.

Irving’s grit shone through as he pushed forward for his teammates. 

Shortly after, he was ruled out with a left knee sprain, and his exit left the American Airlines Center crowd subdued. 

The fans, already battered by a tough season with injuries to Luka Doncic and newcomer Anthony, felt the weight of another setback.

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 3: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks free throw during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 3, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd called Irving’s early departure a turning point in the 24-point loss. Irving finished with seven points before leaving. "Just unlucky, you know. Hope that he’s healthy and it’s not serious," Kidd said post-game. 

"The injuries we’ve had this season—guys are trying to hold it together. You get other bodies back, and it just seems every time we’re close to getting someone back, someone goes down. Tonight, both Hardy and Kyrie go down, so we’re running out of bodies here. But the guys keep fighting."

On his Instagram page, Luka Doncic posted a message of support to his former teammate in Irving.

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