Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, who has been sidelined since Jan. 1 with a back injury, returned to action for Tuesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Kyrie Irving (lumbar back sprain) will be AVAILABLE tonight against the Denver Nuggets.

With their head amply above water at six games over .500, it’s not as if the reigning Western Conference champion Mavericks were in dire need of a lifeguard. But with six defeats in their last eight games,

Mavs star Kyrie Irving confirmed after Tuesday night's loss that he was diagnosed with a bulging disk in his lower back and would have to continue managing the injury.

Irving was absent for the most recent Mavericks game, also against the Nuggets, which the Denver side won 112-101. In that tie, he was hugely missed, with the output for his side clearly suffering from his absence: Dallas are 2-3 across their last five games in the NBA without Irving and 3-6 overall without him.

The Mavericks are set for the return of one-half of their dynamic backcourt duo. After missing Dallas’ last five games, Kyrie Irving is set to return to the lineup Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. Jason Kidd said pregame that Irving would return to the floor vs. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

Kyrie Irving is out at least 1-2 weeks due to a bulging disc in his back. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss one to two weeks with a bulging disk in his back, and coach Jason Kidd said a timeline for his return was not immediately known.

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving's status for Tuesday's clash against the Denver Nuggets looks promising as Dallas aim to bounce back.

The Mavericks host the Nuggets at 9:00 p.m. ET, looking to bounce back after Sunday’s loss to Denver. Kyrie Irving (back) is questionable but could return.