As if the Dallas Mavericks' season couldn't get any worse, the team got word on Tuesday that veteran guard Kyrie Irving is out for the season with an ACL tear.
The 32-year-old suffered the injury during Monday night's 122–98 loss to the Sacramento Kings, when he fought through pain and tears to make two free throws before heading to the locker room.
There will certainly be plenty more well-wishers to come but some of the first to react to the news were Irving's former teammates LeBron James and Kevin Love, both of whom played with the guard on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
When Irving exited the game on Monday night, James posted "Prayers sent up to Ky!!!" on X.
Then, when word of the tear became official on Tuesday, Love chimed in.
"Man…devastating for Ky," he wrote on X. "Love you my brother and speedy recovery. You mean so much to this game!!!"
Man…devastating for Ky. Love you my brother and speedy recovery. You mean so much to this game!!! @KyrieIrving
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) March 4, 2025
Irving had been averaging 24.7 points (13th in the league), 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 50 games this season played prior to his injury.
All in all, it's just another devastating development for the Mavs, for whom Irving's presence and prowess were a light spot in an otherwise dark period that began with the trade of franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic for Lakers big man Anthony Davis. The latter is currently dealing with an abductor injury that has kept him sidelined for multiple weeks.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kevin Love Shared Heartfelt Message for Kyrie Irving After ‘Devastating’ Injury News.
