Is Kyrie Irving playing tonight against OKC Thunder? Looking closer at Mavericks guard's status for Game 4 (May 13)

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is listed as available for the upcoming Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the No. 1 seeded OKC Thunder on Monday in Oklahoma City.

Kyrie Irving had a bounce-back game after struggling in Game 3, scoring nine points. However, Games 3 and 4 saw Irving lead Dallas in playmaking with 18 assists. His gravity has allowed role players in Dallas to thrive, notably PJ Washington.

In Game 3, Irving scored 22 points with five rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block on 10 of 17 shots from the field, including 2 of 6 from the field, boasting the highest +/- net rating among the starters with +11.

After a sluggish beginning to the series, the Mavericks have hit their stride, securing two consecutive wins. The standout performances came from the star duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, who scored 44 points in the latest victory together.

P.J. Washington led the scoring with 27 points. Washington has been on a scoring streak, having put up 29 points in Game 2, followed by 27 in Game 3.

In the postseason, Luka Doncic has been a driving force in the backcourt, leading the way with averages of 27.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game. He's close to averaging a triple-double for the postseason, and his 15 rebounds in Game 3 secured him a double-double.

Kyrie Irving also makes significant contributions, averaging 23.3 points per game and leading the team with 1.8 steals each night.

What happened to Kyrie Irving?

Kyrie Irving injured his thumb in a high-profile game against the Boston Celtics on January 22. Irving suffered a thumb injury after attempting to swipe the ball from Jayson Tatum. Irving was seen sporting a thumb brace following the contest.

X-rays later confirmed no fractures, suggesting the injury was less severe than initially feared.

He was sidelined for the next six games, returning to action in a road victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, where the team won 118-102. Irving showed no signs of his recent injury, scoring 23 points. He also played the following night in a back-to-back game against the Brooklyn Nets, scoring 36 points. Irving has missed 22 games this season.