The Dallas Mavericks will be without Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season, as the star guard tore his left ACL against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, the team announced a day later.
Irving, 32 will finish the season having played in 50 games, with averages of 24.7 points (on 59.4% true shooting), 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
The nine-time All-Star suffered the injury on a drive late in the first quarter. He stayed in the game to shoot his two free throws — hobbling his way to the line with the help of Anthony Davis and a Mavericks employee after staying down on the court for several minutes — then headed to the locker room and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game with what the team initially termed a left knee sprain.
Irving taking the free throws was reminiscent of Kobe Bryant limping to the line with a ruptured Achilles in 2013.
Monday’s loss dropped the Mavericks to 32-30, putting them in the No. 10 spot in the West. Dallas has a 3 ½-game cushion on the Phoenix Suns for the final play-in spot, but its latest injury will make qualifying for the playoffs much more challenging than it already was.
“The injuries that we’ve had this season, guys are trying to hold it together to get other bodies back,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told reporters Monday. “And it just seems every time we’re getting close to getting somebody back, someone goes down. We’re running out of bodies here, but guys keep fighting.”
Dallas is already without the services of Davis, who was acquired in the blockbuster Luka Dončić trade, as well as Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. In addition, PJ Washington exited Saturday’s game vs. Milwaukee with an ankle injury and didn’t play on Monday. Caleb Martin, acquired by the Mavs at the trade deadline, hasn’t even suited up for the team yet due to a hip injury.
Davis, Lively and Gafford are all set to be reevaluated on Thursday. Davis left the only game he played with the Mavericks on Feb. 8 because of a groin injury.
The Dallas Mavericks torpedoed their future by trading Luka Doncic in early February, a deal that will likely be remembered as the worst trade in NBA history. It was malpractice then, and it’s still the worst move a general manager could ever make in the NBA.
Since that trade, the Mavericks have struggled to stay afloat as the injury bug has moved through the roster like a tornado. On Tuesday morning, the Mavericks got dealt the death blow after the team announced that All-Star guard Kyrie Irving sustained a torn ACL in his left knee that will sideline him for the remainder of the season. That adds Irving to a list of injured players that already includes Anthony Davis — who sustained an adductor strain in his first game with the Mavericks after being obtained in the Dončić trade — P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Jaden Hardy and Caleb Martin.
The Mavericks already had a grim outlook for the rest of the season after trading away a 26-year-old perennial MVP candidate in Dončić, but this latest news of Irving’s injury all but ends Dallas’ quest to make the playoffs. In reality, the Mavericks have no other choice than to tank the rest of the season, and possibly next season, too.
Kyrie Irving’s injury creates one of the strangest Play-In races we’ll ever see Sam Quinn Kyrie Irving’s injury creates one of the strangest Play-In races we’ll ever see Irving has been the primary reason Dallas has managed to stay competitive both prior to Dončić getting traded and after. Dating back to when Dončić went down with a calf strain on Christmas Day, Irving ranks 12th in points (26.1) and eighth in minutes (37.0). He’s one of only two players age 30 or older who rank in the top 10 in minutes since Christmas; the other is Kevin Durant. With Irving now out for the rest of the season, Dallas lacks the engine that made this team go, and more importantly its top scorer.
The ripple effects of Irving’s prognosis completely alter the Mavericks’ plans going forward. Now there’s no reason to rush back Davis, who was expected to be reevaluated later this week with a possible return coming soon, and in fact incentive to not do so. The same goes for Lively — who is still in a walking boot — and Gafford, both of whom were also supposed to receive updates to their injuries on Thursday. Now the Mavericks must shift gears from trying to make a late push for Play-In positioning to prioritizing the draft.
If the season ended today, the Mavericks would have the 13th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, not a bad position to have in what is expected to be a deep class. But if Dallas continues to lose, they could climb up the draft board, potentially as high as the No. 8 or No. 9 spots, giving them a significantly greater shot at landing a top-4 pick if the lottery balls fall in their favor.
Landing anywhere in the lottery would net Dallas a quality young player for the future, though Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison made it clear at his press conference following the Dončić trade that he’s less concerned with the team’s long-term plans, saying, “the future to me is three, four years from now. The future 10 years from now, I don’t know, they’ll probably bury me and [coach Jason Kidd] by then. Or we bury ourselves.”
With those puzzling comments in mind, there’s a world in which Harrison uses that lottery selection in a trade to go get someone who can help carry out his short-sighted goals. Though, if Irving is expected to be sidelined for a full year — which is typical for an ACL tear — then that would mean his return wouldn’t come until February or March 2026. So now, those short-term goals Harrison and new Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont preached are getting kicked further and further down the line.
If Irving can’t return until March 2026, then the Mavericks are in store for another season where tanking might be the best option. The whole reason Harrison went out and got Davis was to create a dynamic pairing with Irving, but with the latter out of the picture for what could be a year, now what?
Tanking isn’t just the best option, it’s the only option at this rate for the Mavericks. And the fact that this is where the team’s at just nine months removed from an NBA Finals appearance makes that reality even more bleak.
We’ve got another exciting Eastern Conference matchup on Tuesday’s NBA schedule as the Orlando Magic host the Toronto Raptors. Orlando is 29-33 overall and 18-14 at home, while Toronto is 19-42 overall and 6-23 on the road. The Raptors have won two of three matchups with the Magic this season, including a 104-102 victory on Sunday. Toronto is 34-25-2 against the spread (ATS) in the 2024-25 NBA season, while Orlando is 29-33 versus the line. Cole Anthony (toe) is questionable for Orlando, while Jalen Suggs (knee) was just ruled out for the rest of the season.
Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET at the Kia Center in Orlando, Fla. The Magic are favored by 7.5 points in the latest Raptors vs. Magic odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 207.5 points. Orlando is at -302 on the money line (risk $302 to win $100), while Toronto is at +241 (risk $100 to win $241). Before entering any Magic vs. Raptors picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 20 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 147-107 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It’s also an outstanding 18-10 (64%) on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Toronto vs. Orlando. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Raptors vs. Magic:
Magic vs. Raptors spread: Magic -7.5 Magic vs. Raptors over/under: 207.5 points Magic vs. Raptors money line: Magic: -302, Raptors: +241 Magic vs. Raptors picks: See picks at SportsLine Magic vs. Raptors streaming: FuboTV (Try for free) Why the Magic can cover The Magic lost a 104-102 heartbreaker at the hands of the Raptors on Sunday, despite Franz Wagner (25 points) and Paolo Banchero (23 points) carrying the team. No other Magic player scored more than 14 points as Orlando’s strength lies on the defensive end of the court. The team allows the fewest points per game, ranks second in defensive rating and averages the second-most blocks per game. That strong interior defense is complemented by a stingy perimeter defense as Orlando is allowing the fewest made 3-pointers per game.
Wagner (25 ppg) and Banchero (23.6 ppg) are the only active Magic players averaging in double-figures, but the team also has another six players putting up more than 7.5 points per game. Orlando also has a strong spread record as a home favorite, going 14-8, with that cover percentage being the fourth-best in the NBA. The Magic also get to face a Raptors team which has yet to see Brandon Ingram (ankle) suit up for the team, while former Kansas standouts Gradey Dick (knee) and Ochai Agbaji (ankle) are both out. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Raptors can cover One only has to look at the result of Sunday’s game to see why Toronto can cover as the Raptors outright won as 7-point underdogs. Immanuel Quickley led Toronto with 24 points, with RJ Barrett adding 22 points. Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 11 rebounds as his 20 double-doubles on the season have already matched his total from last year.
Just three teams have a better spread record than Toronto this season, and just one team has a better ATS record than the Raptors with one day of rest, as Toronto is 24-12 versus the line in those situations. Meanwhile, Orlando has dropped three straight against the spread. Even with injures to Dick and Agbaji, Toronto can still roll out five players averaging in double-figures, compared to Orlando having just two such healthy players. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Magic vs. Raptors picks The model has simulated Raptors vs. Magic 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, projecting 203 combined points, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick where one side hits in well over 60% of simulations in an A-rated pick. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Magic vs. Raptors, and which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time in an A-rated pick? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Raptors vs. Magic spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 147-107 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
Where to bet on NBA games Here are some of the sportsbooks to bet on NBA games today, along with the various NBA sportsbook promos they currently offer.
“The Chicago Bulls are reportedly open for business, and Nikola Vucevic could be one of the most attractive assets available at the trade deadline,” Fansided’s Joseph Kallan wrote Friday.
“Vucevic is enjoying a strong season, averaging 21.0 points and 9.8 rebounds while shooting a career-high 58.7 percent from the field.”
“What makes Vucevic especially enticing is the rumored asking price — just two second-round picks. The Bulls are in sell mode, and the Knicks could take advantage of this opportunity to add a versatile big man without mortgaging their future.”
“While Vucevic is capable of starting, he could also provide an elite scoring punch off the bench behind Karl-Anthony Towns, giving the Knicks one of the deepest frontcourts in the league.”
“At $20 million, Vucevic’s contract is relatively affordable for a player of his caliber, making him a low-risk, high-reward option.”
“If Chicago insists on acquiring Robinson in return, the Knicks could push for a player swap, avoiding the need to include draft picks altogether.”
“A deal for Vucevic would not only strengthen their depth but also position them as a team capable of making noise in the postseason.”
“As the trade deadline approaches, the Knicks have a golden opportunity to address their weaknesses and solidify their standing as a contender.”
“Whether it’s landing a defensive anchor in Kessler, a two-way wing in Jones, or a versatile big in Vucevic, the time for Leon Rose to act is now.”
The Bulls aren’t legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference this season, but there’s a reason why Vucevic is a highly sought-after trade target for various franchises.
The 6-foot-10 big man efficiently scores over 20 points per contest, showcasing his ability to thrive in the low post and on the perimeter.
The Knicks would benefit from acquiring a stretch five in Vucevic, who could help anchor the organization’s second unit or complement Towns in the starting lineup.
While Robinson is a serviceable asset when he’s healthy, New York wouldn’t be foolish to swap him for Vucevic this season.
As long as the Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokić playing at an MVP level, they have no excuse to not be in the title hunt. Jokić is one of the most dominant offensive players of all time, although Denver’s 14-10 record has them in the middle of the pack.
Before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, the Nuggets are expected to make a move to bolster their lineup. It goes without saying that Jokić is untouchable, and with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon ineligible to be traded this season, Michael Porter Jr. is their only trade chip who makes enough money to balance out a possible deal.
The Nuggets have been linked to the Chicago Bulls and Zach LaVine, although LaVine has a reputation for playing inefficient basketball that doesn’t impact winning. A player with a similar skill set and a proven track record, however, has recently emerged as a possible target.
According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones and Sam Amick, Jordan Poole will be a name to monitor.
The Washington Wizards are expected to sell off their veteran assets as they move to build around Bilal Coulibaly, Alexandre Sarr and Bub Carrington. Poole, who won a title with the Golden State Warriors in 2022, is only 25 years old but doesn’t fit Washington’s young timeline.
He is currently averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals on a career-high 39.2% shooting from 3-point range. He can play both on and off the ball, meaning he can slot in with Murray in the backcourt.
In order to land him, the Nuggets will certainly have to part ways with Porter Jr. The only first-round pick the Nuggets can offer is in 2031, and adding Porter Jr. won’t save the Wizards any money long-term, so the Nuggets might have to pony up and offer a pick swap to make the deal worth it for the rebuilding Wizards.
Despite using their bench incredibly sparingly, the New York Knicks are in a great position moving into the heart of the NBA season. At 16-10, they have jumped over the Orlando Magic for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
They have the third-best offensive rating in the NBA, but their defense, especially under the basket, could use some work. Karl-Anthony Towns is having one of the best years of his career, but the Knicks do not have a proven backup behind him.
Mitchell Robinson, who started 58 games in New York last year, is expected to be out well past the New Year. With only unproven youngsters behind Towns on the depth chart, the Knicks need to prepare for the worst and make a move.
New York has been linked to Walker Kessler, Jonas Valančiūnas, Robert Williams III and other solid backup options, but with limited draft capital and a lot of their money tied up in stars, the Knicks can’t easily make a move for even an average salary.
Instead, the Knicks should target a cheap player on a bad team, like the New Orleans Pelicans. Owed $2 million this year, the Knicks could swap rookie Tyler Kolek for Daniel Theis.
Kolek, as promising as he is, will never get minutes with Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride in town, and he could eventually take over as a floor general in The Big Easy if all goes well. Theis, meanwhile, is averaging 3.5 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Pelicans this season.
While Theis is not a long-term fix if Towns goes down, he can hold his own on both ends of the court and keep the Knicks afloat when the starters get a rare rest.
Trading for him might not be as flashy as adding Valančiūnas or Kessler, but in the hunt for a title, the Knicks can’t be glamorous all the time.
The Denver Nuggets have seen varying degrees of success since the start of the 2024-25 season, currently holding a 14-10 record and a spot as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
Denver’s three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić could be on his way to winning the award for a fourth time, averaging 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.9 assists on a remarkable 64.4% true shooting percentage.
Even with their superstar center amid his most historic campaign yet, Denver’s supporting cast has not contributed enough at this point in the young season.
Since their 2023 NBA title victory, the Nuggets have seen plenty of valuable role players find new homes in free agency. In turn, their attempts at filling these voids with young talent and reserves from the deepest parts of their depth chart have been unsuccessful.
Specifically, Denver has been lacking a sufficient backup center to offer support for Jokić for the past several years.
This season, the Nuggets’ general manager Calvin Booth could be tempted to solve this problem, as recent reports indicate that he has held preliminary talks with the Washington Wizards front office on the likelihood of acquiring a reliable reserve center.
“The Nuggets and Wizards have conducted dialogue around a potential trade involving Jonas Valančiūnas,” Forbes’ Evan Sidery reported Wednesday afternoon.
“Denver would need to include Zeke Nnaji and a draft pick for Washington to consider. Valančiūnas would become Nikola Jokić’s backup.”
Over the course of the past few seasons, Denver has mostly relied upon the aging DeAndre Jordan and small-ball frontcourt rotations from their reserves when Jokić leaves the floor. As it turns out, these tactics have not been conducive to receiving positive contributions from their frontcourt depth.
With the potential acquisition of Valančiūnas, Denver would finally receive the reserve center help they’ve been craving throughout Jokić’s legendary run during the 2020s.
Valančiūnas is a bruising 6-foot-11 center with plenty of postseason experience from his days as a member of the Toronto Raptors earlier in his career.
The skilled Lithuanian big also shares plenty of similarities to Jokić, as both centers can play a physical brand of basketball while also possessing touch that extends to the three-point line.
In a deal to acquire the 32-year-old averaging 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in just 19.7 minutes this season, the Nuggets would likely deal their 23-year-old forward Nnaji and some form of draft compensation to the lowly Wizards.
The Denver Nuggets have not had the start to the season that they had hoped for. After being expected to contend at the top of the Western Conference, the Nuggets instead hold the fifth seed with a 14-10 record.
Denver’s struggles have mainly been due to their supporting cast around Nikola Jokić. Jokić has once again had an incredible season and is the frontrunner to win the fourth MVP award of his career. While he has dominated, the rest of Denver’s roster has been underwhelming.
Jamal Murray has struggled shooting the ball this season and Aaron Gordon missed time due to an injury. Denver’s offseason additions of Russell Westbrook and Dario Šarić have also not played well, leading to the Nuggets not looking like the championship contender they have been over the past few seasons.
Because of this, the Nuggets are expected to be buyers before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. They have been linked to many players such as Cameron Johnson, Zach Lavine and Jordan Poole, but a recent report has them linked to the New Orleans Pelicans star forward, Brandon Ingram.
“The Athletic report on the Nuggets’ search for a scorer, I’ve heard Brandon Ingram is another player among the group on their radar.” SNY’s Ian Begley reported Tuesday night.
With the Pelicans already out of the playoff race due to their multitude of injuries, they are expected to trade most of their roster, including Ingram, before the Feb. 6 deadline.
In a possible trade, Denver could send Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji and draft capital to New Orleans for Ingram and Daniel Theis. This trade works for the Pelicans as they would acquire a young forward in Porter Jr. to build around for the future.
For Denver, this is a risky trade. Ingram is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season, so the Nuggets would have to sign him to an extension to avoid losing him for nothing. He is also recovering from a severe left ankle sprain that has caused him to miss time.
While there is a risk, Ingram would be an upgrade over Porter Jr. The 27-year-old is a great scorer and a better defender than Porter Jr. He would immediately become Denver’s second option behind Jokić due to Murray’s struggles and he could thrive when he is not asked to be the focal point of the team like in New Orleans.
By making this trade, the Nuggets would improve their lineup, which could turn their season around as they look to win their second championship in three seasons.
The Miami Heat have been at the forefront of recent NBA trade rumors thanks to Jimmy Butler. While Miami could trade Butler before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, they may also elect to keep him around and upgrade their roster.
The Heat have had a solid start to the season as they currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 13-11 record. Tyler Herro has led the way for them this season as he is putting together an All-Star-caliber season. The 24-year-old is averaging 24.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 41.3% from three.
Herro is not the only player on Miami’s roster playing well. Their duo of Butler and Bam Adebayo have them in the hunt for one of the top seeds in the East as they sit just two games behind the New York Knicks, who hold the third seed.
While Miami has had a good start to the season, they have been surrounded by trade rumors focused on Butler. While it is likely they deal Butler before the Feb. 6 deadline, it is possible that they keep him around to try and make another deep playoff run.
If they were to choose that route, they could look to upgrade their roster. One player they could target is the Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic has had a great start to the season as he is averaging 21.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 58.7% from the field and 47.5% from three. With the Bulls looking to offload their veterans, the Heat could swoop in and make a deal for the All-Star center.
In a possible trade, Miami could send Duncan Robinson, Pelle Larson and draft picks to Chicago for Vucevic. For Miami, acquiring Vucevic would allow them to finally shift Adebayo to the power forward position.
With Vucevic’s three-point shooting, he would make Miami’s offense better and would be able to space the floor. The downfall of this trade is Vucevic’s poor defense, but Adebayo and Butler should be able to pick up his slack.
By making this trade and keeping Butler, the Heat could make another deep run in the playoffs as they try to win their first championship since the LeBron James era.
