Kyrie Irving Downgraded to Doubtful Because 'Injury Management' Remains Undefeated

Kyrie Irving being downgraded to doubtful for a Monday night game is the least surprising news in the NBA, but the phrase "injury management" is doing some incredible heavy lifting here.

Underdog NBA dropped the update that the Dallas Mavericks star is likely sitting out to start the week. If you are shocked by this development, you simply have not been paying attention to the last decade of professional basketball.

"Underdog NBA tweeted: 'Kyrie Irving (injury management) downgraded to doubtful Monday.'"

Irving is currently averaging 21.4 points and 4.8 assists per game while working his way back from a torn left ACL. He recently logged a season-high 35 minutes, which in the modern NBA means it is immediately time to put the franchise guard in bubble wrap and hide his sneakers.

The historical context here is objectively hilarious. Since his college days, Irving has been injured for roughly 27 percent of his career. Betting on a fully healthy Kyrie season is like betting on a printer to work when you are in a rush. The guy has literally never played a professional season without missing at least 10 games.

For the sickos staring at their fantasy basketball lineups or trying to find an edge on the odds screen, this throws a massive wrench into the Dallas rotation. When a guy who commands that much of the offense sits, the usage rate has to go somewhere, completely shifting the prop market for the rest of the Mavericks roster.

Expect Irving to watch this one from the bench in street clothes while Dallas plays the long game. The Mavericks need his knee intact for a playoff push, not a random Monday night. We will see if the rest does the trick and gets him back on the floor later in the week.