The Dallas Mavericks are still trying to figure out how to play without superstar Kyrie Irving, as the guard tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings on March 3rd. Since then, the Mavs have gone 3-8, though they are on a two-game winning streak currently.
Irving's final moments on the court went viral, as he was helped to the free-throw line, where he made both of his free throws with tears streaming down his face. It's like he knew his season was done and wanted to leave it all out on the court.
A moment of pure determination for Kyrie Irving.
After suffering an injury, Kyrie was helped to the line to take his free throws before exiting the game.
He made both. đź‘Źđź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/hJDDRTDLg7
— NBA (@NBA) March 4, 2025
READ MORE: Mavericks' Anthony Davis reveals why he pushed hard to return from injury in lost season
With the recent downtime, Irving was live on Twitch for about five hours over the weekend, and one of the things he explained was why he was crying at the free-throw line after the injury.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving sits on the bench against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
"I’m tearing up at the free throw line, and I could just sense that my body was in shock," Irving started. "And the moment that I got up there and dribbled, I was thinking about thanking God from the outset—right from the start. But I just started thinking about all my predecessors. Especially Kobe [Bryant]. You know, at that moment, I could feel the sense of—my season is done. I’m hurting. I’m crying. I got millions of people watching me. I got millions of people praying for me. I got millions of people that are involved in this journey with me—so they’re feeling the same pain that I’m feeling. They might not feel the physical pain, but they’re feeling the pain I’m feeling. And I just wanted to be strong."
Irving considers Lakers legend Kobe Bryant as one of his mentors and one of Bryant's most iconic moments is when he stepped to the free-throw line and sank both free throws after tearing his Achilles tendon. Irving's now teammate, Klay Thompson, did a similar thing when he tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals. It elicits a rare sense of toughness and love of the game that few players could reach.
Kyrie Irving has been Dallas' emotional leader all season, rallying and being sympathetic with the fanbase after the organization shockingly traded away Luka Doncic in the middle of the season. He became such a beloved figure in the city, and it was saddening to see him go down in that fashion. There's a chance he's not able to play next season, as older and smaller guards can take a while to return from an ACL injury.
READ MORE: Kyrie Irving admits he 'struggled' with Mavericks trading Luka Doncic to Lakers
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