Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss at least three games with a lumbar sprain in his back and could be out as many as two weeks, ESPN reported Monday.
Irving, 32, missed last Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings and was listed with right shoulder soreness. He was then ruled out of Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers with an illness.
He is expected to be out one to two weeks with his back issue as a more specific timetable is reached. He is not with the team for Monday night’s road game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Dallas lost both of the recent games Irving missed and currently is on a four-game losing streak. The Mavericks also are playing without star Luka Doncic, who came away with a left calf strain on Christmas Day.
Irving has averaged 24.3 points with 4.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 30 games this season. In 14 NBA seasons, he has averaged 23.6 points with 5.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 759 games (all starts) for the Cavaliers (2011-17), Boston Celtics (2017-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-23) and Mavericks.
The eight-time All-Star was the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 2011-12 season with the Cavaliers.