Mavs' Irving helped off after suffering knee sprain

DALLAS -- Kyrie Irving left the Dallas Mavericks' game Monday against the Sacramento Kings because of a left knee sprain.

Irving was injured late in the first quarter and did not return.

The veteran guard landed awkwardly after being fouled on a drive to the basket and immediately grabbed his leg, remaining on the court for several minutes. Injured forward Anthony Davis was assisting Irving to the locker room before Irving abruptly returned to the court to take two free throws. After converting both to pull Dallas to within 23-18, Irving was helped into the tunnel.

"That is who he is, I mean, you know Kyrie he is a tough guy so I asked him as they were taking [him] off the court 'are you good? If you leave without shooting you know [you're] ruled out.'" head coach Jason Kidd said after the game, a 122-98 loss. "So they took him to the free throw line, shot the free throws, and then we got him out."

The injury is the latest blow for a Mavs team already missing Davis -- who left his only Mavericks game on Feb. 8 because of a groin injury after being acquired for Doncic -- as well as Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin.

Dallas also lost reserve guard Jaden Hardy due to a right ankle sprain midway through the third quarter.

"Just unlucky," Kidd said of the injuries. "I hope that [Irving's] healthy and that it's not serious, but you know the injuries that we have this season, guys are trying to hold it together. You get other bodies back it just seems every time we get close to someone getting back someone goes down. Tonight both [Jaden] Hardy and Kyrie go down so we are running out of bodies here, but guys keep fighting."

Irving, a nine-time All-Star, came into the game averaging 25.0 points. He has become Dallas' primary outside shooting threat since the trade of superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.