Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II received injury updates for the Mavericks' game on Monday against the Hornets.

A lot of this stems back to the 2024 playoffs when Dallas beat the top-seeded Thunder in the second round in six games, but this is becoming one of the best rivalries in the NBA, and Kyrie Irving had an up-close view of all of it.

Even without important pieces like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Dereck Lively II, both teams' role players simmered the beef between the ball clubs. The usually well-mannered Thunder were hit with multiple technical fouls. PJ Washington continued to poke the bear.

Irving is listed on the injury report as he continues to deal with a lumbar back sprain. Meanwhile, Dereck Lively II (right ankle sprain), Luka Doncic (left calf strain) and Dante Exum (right wrist surgery) are all out for Friday's game. It is worth noting that Mavs head coach Jason Kidd previously said he expects Irving to play on Friday.

That decision forced the Thunder to stick close to the Mavericks' role players throughout the first quarter. Once Washington scored the first five points, Irving asserted himself and drained a 3-pointer before finishing at the basket with a finger roll to give the Mavericks an early 10-0 lead.

USA: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) defends during the second half in game six of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center.

Dallas guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss one to two weeks with a bulging disk in his back, and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said a timeline for his return was not immediately known.

But with six defeats in their last eight games, the Mavericks were losing buoyancy, so they were grateful for Tuesday night’s return of Kyrie Irving, even as they fell to Denver, 118-99, in American Airlines Center for the second time in three nights.

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has been ruled out of Wednesday night's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, who are similarly resting power forward Zion Williamson.

The Dallas Mavericks might have jumped on the Oklahoma City Thunder early in a matchup at the American Airlines Center, but it wouldn't hold for them. Late in the third quarter, the big lead had been erased.

Kyrie Irving may have returned to the court Friday to help the Dallas Mavericks defeat top-seeded Oklahoma City, but his ongoing back injury will require rest in some instances. Irving missing Wednesday’s controversial loss to the New Orleans Pelicans was an example of him taking a night off to manage a bulging disc in his back.