Dallas guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss one to two weeks with a bulging disc in his back, and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said a timeline for his return was not immediately known. Kidd, speaking before the Mavericks take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night,

In recent weeks, the Dallas Mavericks have relied on Kyrie Irving to lead the team. The All-Star guard has stepped into a bigger role due to Luka Doncic's injury-induced absence. Irving's scoring and playmaking ability likely eased some of the blow of Doncic's forced absence.

The Mavericks have recently navigated life without Luka Doncic, who sustained a left calf strain on Christmas Day. With Irving and Doncic out on Friday, Quentin Grimes stepped up in a playmaking role with 26 points, six assists and two rebounds.

The Dallas Mavericks are going to be seriously shorthanded for the next little while. Kyrie Irving is expected to miss a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon reported Monday,

Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks moves the ball down court against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on January 01, 2

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss at least three games with a lumbar sprain in his back and could be out as many as two weeks, ESPN reported Monday.

Shams Charania joins NBA Today to report on Kyrie Irving's injured back and the timetable for the superstar's return to action for the Mavericks.