"Really a gut punch”: Klay Thompson gets real on Kyrie Irving’s gruesome season-ending injury

Klay Thompson made it clear that the absence of Kyrie Irving for the remainder of the season was a bad blow for the Dallas Mavericks. The mercurial guard suffered a torn ACL that ended his season, leaving Thompson as the lone big name with the Mavericks trying to seal a playoff berth.

Not alien to a devastating ACL injury himself, Thompson weighed in on the seriousness of the injury and the impact Irving's absence would have on the side. He said:

“That was really a gut punch, not just for the Dallas Mavericks but for basketball fans around the globe.”

Irving injured himself during their skirmish against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter. The 32-year-old was driving up to the rim when his knee buckled underneath as he hit the floor hard. With a foul call issued, he hobbled back to the free-throw line and sank both free throws.

For fans, it reminded the scene of Thompson and Kobe Bryant who after devastating injuries returned to the court to finish their attempts from the charity stripe. Thompson tore his ACL during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors in 2019 but returned to the floor to sink his FTs. Now, with Irving out for the season and Anthony Davis on the mend, much depends on Klay Thompson to push Dallas for the playoffs.

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Kyrie Irving reminds NBA world of Klay Thompson and Kobe Bryant as he nails free throws amid MVP chants

Despite his injury, Kyrie Irving returned to the game to help the Mavericks score two points by getting to the free-throw line. He was seen hobbling with the help of two trainers as he collected his thoughts, sinking both throws. The arena erupted with MVP chants as Irving headed back.

For the NBA world, it was a moment that took them back to 2013 when Kobe Bryant made two free throws after tearing his Achilles. Irving's teammate, Thompson, did the same thing in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. This shows a level of mental toughness and respect for the players. Both Bryant and Thompson eventually returned to the court, and now it remains to be seen if Irving can bounce back from his injury just as well.