Dallas fans’ worst fears are becoming reality. Without Luka Dončić, the team is struggling to hold even a respectable spot in the Western Conference. Their recent loss to the Pelicans stung particularly badly, dropping them to the bottom of the standings with a 2-6 record and marking their third straight defeat. Amid the frustration, a small spark of encouragement came from an unexpected place: Kyrie Irving, sidelined and rehabbing an ACL injury,

Kyrie Irving shared a heartfelt 6-word message to boost his team’s morale. On X, he wrote, “Tribe, stay together no matter what. Hélà 🤞🏾🪶♾”. Even while focusing on his rehab, Irving made it clear he’s keeping his teammates in mind and cheering them on from the sidelines.

The Dallas Mavericks suffered another narrow defeat on Wednesday, falling 101-99 to the New Orleans Pelicans. Fans experienced a rollercoaster of emotions during the game, standing for nearly four minutes at the start before Max Christie hit a corner three to break the ritual, then rising again late in the game hoping for a comeback.

Heading into the matchup, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd shook things up with a major lineup change. Klay Thompson came off the bench for the first time since March 2024, while D’Angelo Russell took the starting point guard role. 

Rookie Cooper Flagg, moved from point guard to small forward, had more freedom to attack the basket, showing off his skills with highlight dunks and strong finishes. Despite these changes, Dallas struggled to find consistent scoring and maintain control against the Pelicans.

New Orleans led early, opening with an 18-6 run and holding a 29-19 lead after the first quarter. Even when Dallas fought back, closing the gap to 96-95 late in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans’ Saddiq Bey, who scored a season-high 22 points, and supporting scorers like Jeremiah Fears and Jose Alvarado kept the Mavericks at bay. Dallas had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but Cooper Flagg’s late jumper bounced off the rim, sealing the narrow loss.

Individually, Dallas had strong performances from Flagg, who led with 20 points, nine rebounds, and three steals, and P.J. Washington, who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Max Christie contributed 12 points, while Klay Thompson added 11. Still, as a team, things didn’t click. 

With the loss, Dallas now turns its focus to a two-game road trip, starting against the Memphis Grizzlies, hoping to snap their losing streak and climb out of the Western Conference basement. The big question remains: will Kyrie Irving be back in action?

Is Kyrie Irving’s road to recovery nearing the finish line?

The Dallas Mavericks entered the season facing a big question at point guard: Kyrie Irving’s long-term injury. Irving tore his ACL on March 3, 2025, during a game against the Sacramento Kings, and he’s been sidelined ever since. The torn ligament means he likely won’t be back until sometime in 2026, though some athletes have returned slightly earlier. Irving himself has kept fans guessing, telling Twitch viewers, “there’s no timetable for when I’m coming back,” leaving the Mavericks to figure out how to manage the team without their star guard.

To fill the gap, Dallas brought in D’Angelo Russell while giving rookie Cooper Flagg a bigger role. But recently, Marc Stein shared a hopeful update: the team believes Irving is “right on schedule” with his rehab, and Kidd hinted that a return could come in late 2025, saying, “hopefully it’s in the year ’25 — not ‘26 — but we’ll see what happens.” Irving has stayed involved, attending games, meetings, and mentoring Flagg, keeping his influence on the team strong even from the sidelines.

Irving’s absence has been a blow for Dallas. Last season, he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, providing a reliable playmaker who could break down defenses. Without him, the Mavericks have struggled to find that steady offensive leader, and fans have had to adjust to seeing a younger, less experienced backcourt take the reins.

Still, the hope is that when Irving does return, he’ll slide back into the lineup seamlessly. Kidd sounded optimistic about the pairing of Irving and Flagg, saying, “Ky is going to be a perfect fit with Cooper Flagg, when you talk about his skillset of being able to dribble and score. He also creates space on the floor for Cooper, and vice versa. We just can’t wait to get Ky back at some point.”