Mavs G Kyrie Irving (heel) to miss 10th straight game

Field Level Media|published: Tue 26th December, 19:06 2023

Dec 8, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving (11) is introduced as part of the starting lineup before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. credits: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will not be back to face one of his former teams, the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, on Wednesday.

The Mavericks ruled Irving out on Tuesday, meaning the 31-year-old will miss his 10th straight game with a right heel contusion.

Irving played the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Cavaliers, making four All-Star Games during that span. He is currently in his first full season with the Mavericks after a midseason trade from Brooklyn last February, but he has played just 37 games in a Dallas uniform — 20 last season and 17 this season.

Irving is averaging 23.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game over his 17 starts in 2023-24. Dallas (18-12) has gone 8-5 when Irving doesn't play, most recently a 128-114 Christmas Day victory over the Phoenix Suns when Luka Doncic dropped 50 points and 15 assists.

For Cleveland, star guard Donovan Mitchell is considered questionable due to an illness that's kept him out of the team's past three games. Guard Caris LeVert (left knee tendinitis) is questionable and guard Sam Merrill (right wrist sprain) is doubtful.

—Field Level Media