Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee, per multiple reports.
Irving suffered his injury Monday night and shot free throws for the Mavericks with tears rolling down his cheeks before leaving the floor in obvious great pain late in the first quarter of Dallas’ 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Kyrie was fouled by DeMar DeRozan on a drive to the basket. His right foot then landed on the foot of the Kings’ Jonas Valanciunas. He lost his balance and then landed awkwardly on his left leg, and his knee appeared to hyperextend before he fell to the floor.
After he was hurt, Irving held his leg and stayed on the floor for multiple minutes. Anthony Davis was among those helping Irving to the locker room before Kidd spoke to Irving, who then returned to take two free throws. After converting both to pull Dallas within 23-18, Irving was helped into the tunnel, and the Mavs quickly ruled him out for the rest of the night.
“That’s just who, I mean, Kai’s a tough guy,” Kidd states. “I asked him as they were taking him off the court, ‘Are you good if you leave without shooting? You’re ruled out.’ So they took him to the free-throw line, shot the free throws, and then we got him out.”
Irving’s decision to shoot free throws was almost identical of the late Kobe Bryant, who made two game-tying foul shots for the Los Angeles Lakers after tearing his achilles tendon late in the fourth quarter of a victory over Golden State on April 12, 2013.