Summary

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd strongly denied any connection between Kyrie Irving’s heavy minute load and his recent ACL injury. He labeled the injury a “freak accident” and criticized media speculations regarding conspiracy theories surrounding Irving’s workload.

Kidd clarified that Irving’s injury occurred during a specific play against the Sacramento Kings when he stepped on Jonas Valanciunas’ foot, causing a sharp twisting motion leading to the injury.

“The load didn’t have anything to do with the injury,” Kidd stated, emphasizing that Irving had welcomed the responsibility of high minutes.

As the Mavericks face a challenging roster situation with numerous injuries, including Irving’s season-ending injury, Kidd stressed the importance of star players being available for games and pushed back against the narrative suggesting exhaustion from heavy minutes.