The Dallas Mavericks' injury situation just went from bad to worse.
Kyrie Irving is reportedly set to miss at least one to two weeks due to a bulging disc in his back, according to ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday.
Kidd, speaking before the Mavericks take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, didn't shed much light on the injury or when Irving could return.
“He's out, so there's nothing I can speculate or comment (on),” Kidd said. “It's been reported he's out a week or two.”
When asked a timeline for Irving's recovery, Kidd said: "Give me 48 hours to get that answer."
The 32-year-old guard missed the team's last game due to illness and now appears to be out for the foreseeable future. Through 30 games this season, Irving averaged 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting a career-best 44.1 per cent from beyond the arc.
Charania added that the Mavericks hold optimism that upon treatment in the coming days, there could be a clearer target for return to play.
The eight-time All-Star's absence is the latest in a slew of backcourt injuries for Dallas who are already without guards Luka Doncic and Dante Exum.
Doncic last played for the Mavericks on Christmas day, exiting early from a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and has since missed five games in a row due to a strained calf. The team has gone 1-4 in that span and the five-time All-Star is expected to be out till at least the end of January before being reevaluated. Charania reported that Doncic was seen using a scooter to move around the Maverick's arena on Friday.
The team is 0-3 when missing both Irving and Doncic this year.
“It's important for everyone in uniform,” Kidd said of making up the scoring shortage. "Being short-handed, it's the next-man-up mentality. ... We can't replace Luka or Ky, so it's going to take a team effort.”
And if injuries weren't making things tough enough, the Mavs have also dealt with suspensions. Forwards Naji Marshall (four games) and P.J. Washington (one game) were each punished by the NBA for their involvement in a Dec. 27 altercation with Phoenix Suns centre Jusuf Nurkic.
Meanwhile, Exum has yet to play for Dallas this season as he underwent wrist surgery right before the season tipped off, with a recovery timeline of at least three months.
The Mavericks return to action on Monday night, hoping to snap a four-game skid as they visit the Grizzlies in Memphis — now without either of Doncic and Irving.
-- With files from the Associated Press
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