The Dallas Mavericks announced Tuesday that star guard Kyrie Irving has undergone surgery after breaking his left hand while training earlier in July.
A recovery timeline hasn’t been announced at this time.
Irving, 32, helped lead the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals this past season, though the team was beaten in five games by the Boston Celtics.
Irving was excellent in the postseason, averaging 22.1 points, 5.1 assists and a steal in 22 games while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 39 percent from three. The eight-time All-Star was equally effective during the season, putting up 25.6 points, 5.2 assists, five rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest.
He’s settled in nicely in Dallas, pairing with Luka Dončić to give the Mavs one of the most talented and clutch backcourts in the sport.
The good news for the Mavericks is that Irving has about three months to recover before the regular season begins in October. It will also come as something of a relief that it’s to Irving’s non-shooting hand.
Dallas hasn’t rested on its laurels after reaching the Finals, adding sharpshooter Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall, though the team lost Derrick Jones Jr. to the Los Angeles Clippers. Thompson’s perimeter shooting and championship experience should make him a nice fit behind Dončić and Irving.
The Western Conference will be loaded, with teams like the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, among others, posing a threat to the Mavs’ title hopes. But a healthy Irving next to Dončić makes the Mavericks a contender no matter the opposition.
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