Kyrie Irving's season-ending ACL injury has sparked debate regarding his workload after joining the Dallas Mavericks. Averaging over 39 minutes per game, Irving was leading the NBA in minutes played from February 4 to March 2. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd defended Irving's heavy minutes, attributing the injury to an isolated freak incident rather than fatigue. Kidd emphasized that Irving thrived under the increased workload, especially with key players like Luka Doncic out due to injury. Despite Irving's elevated minutes, he delivered a strong season, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, earning his ninth All-Star selection.