The Mavericks’ chance on the Kyrie Irving-Luka Doncic partnership is paying off،
KYRIE IRVING SQUATTING, hands on knees, as he stood in the right corner and watched Luka Doncic operate a high pick-and-roll. Irving was tired, having already played 37 minutes in this game, his fourth since returning from a right heel contusion that kept him sidelined for 24 days.
The score was tied with just over two minutes remaining in the Dallas Mavericks' Jan. 7 home game against the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves, who were determined not to let Doncic beat them.
The Wolves double-teamed Doncic, and he delivered a bounce pass to center Dwight Powell at the free throw line. As Powell caught the ball and the defense rotated, Irving moved into shooting position, knowing the correct read was to swing the ball his way.
Irving nailed the catch-and-shoot corner 3, giving the Mavs the lead for good in arguably their most impressive win of the season. Powell got the assist; Doncic created the advantage.
It was the kind of moment the Mavericks front office envisioned when it made the trade for Irving in February 2023: two of the NBA's best offensive talents going head-to-head.
It took a while for the combination to form clutch chemistry, and injuries have often halted the Mavs' momentum since Irving's arrival. But Dallas' star duo is the main reason why the Mavs, who sit sixth in the Western Conference standings with a 24-18 record, are considered a dangerous playoff matchup.
Irving didn't choose Dallas as his destination after requesting a trade last year and, frankly, he didn't have any financially attractive alternatives before re-signing with the Mavericks over the summer. But he found happiness with his fourth NBA franchise, feeling respected and supported by the organization.
There is a sense of calm following his two and a half year stint with the Brooklyn Nets, which was marked by so much chaos and controversy, much of it blamed on Irving.
“I had to be mature enough to say that I had to take responsibility for my own actions,” Irving told ESPN. “I really have to walk the walk and be the example that I want to see in the world. And that's just being a good person to a lot of people, and not being so hard to reach and not being so isolated that people People can misjudge it. like anything. Like, “Oh, he doesn't talk, or he's not really close to anyone. I don't really know him that well.” So I feel like a lot of people have misjudged me.
“Dallas gave me the opportunity to just focus on what's important, which is being the best basketball player when I step foot here, and then continuing to support me outside of it. ground.”
HE WAS less than a year since Irving's partnership in Brooklyn with Kevin Durant, which began as a free agency pact between longtime friends, ended in disappointment and regret. This era in Nets history will be remembered as the supposed superteam that won a total of one playoff series and granted three trade requests.
Irving, Durant and James Harden – the latest superstar to join these Nets and the first to leave – have only played 16 games together due to injuries and Irving's refusal to comply with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate from New York.
It still stings Irving that their plan to win league titles and retire together fell apart as his off-field sagas – particularly his anti-vaccine stance and his social media promotion of a film featuring anti-Semitic tropes – have disrupted the Nets' last two seasons. and destroyed his trust with the management of the Nets.
But this presented an opportunity for the Mavericks. Dallas, lacking in trade assets, was desperate to acquire a co-star to pair with Luka Doncic, eager to ease pressure on the young face of the franchise. The availability of Irving, an eight-time All-Star with championship experience whose trade value had been deflated, provided the Mavs with a chance to fill that glaring void.
Irving said he felt a sense of comfort playing for Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was one of his idols growing up in New Jersey and had become a friend over the years. He also had a long-standing relationship with Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, a former Nike executive. Irving embraced the fresh start, with no guarantees of what might unfold in his summer free agency.
The deal — Dallas gave up starters Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick — didn't produce immediate dividends. The Mavericks dropped out of the playoffs, losing the final two games to position themselves to retain the protected top 10 they owed to the New York Knicks.
But the Mavericks' belief that Irving would be part of the solution never wavered, as he had been productive, professional and had been a positive influence in the locker room. “Unbelievable veteran for the younger guys,” wing Josh Green, 23, said after Dallas' win over the Knicks in January, an opinion echoed by his teammates.
Harrison said in exit interviews that keeping Irving was the franchise's top priority, and Dallas agreed to a three-year contract worth up to $126 million, although Irving had no other contenders with significant room under the salary cap.
Dallas viewed it as a contract that reflected Irving's impact and status while giving the Mavericks flexibility to acquire defensive upgrades for supporting players, such as forward Grant Williams and guard Dante Exum.
Dallas went 5-11 in games Irving and Doncic played together last season, but the Mavericks didn't hesitate to double down on the bet they placed on the point guard duo.
“We’re just happy to have him on our team,” Doncic said earlier this season. “We can always count on Kai.”
IRVING AND SONCIC mutual trust has never been a problem. But the clutch execution was clumsy as they tried to build chemistry on the fly last season, as illustrated in the final moments of Irving's home debut in Dallas in February 2023.
The Timberwolves were also the opponent that night, when Irving dazzled the sellout crowd by scoring 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks recovered from a 16-point deficit. It came down to the final possession, when Doncic and Irving deferred to each other, passing the ball back and forth until Irving coughed up a turnover.
“As much as you want things to happen instantly or right away,” Kidd said recently, “even though sometimes it takes time.”
These issues have been resolved. The Mavs are 14-5 in deciding games – defined as a score within five points in the final five minutes or overtime – this season. They won nine of 10 such games with Irving in the lineup, and he scored 44 points in 36 crucial minutes.
“I think what you saw last year was we had the utmost respect for each other and we weren't trying to step on each other's toes,” Irving said.
“He's already created a legacy here, and I'm the new guy in Dallas. … There's a synchronicity that people have felt over the last six years with him and built this camaraderie with him. I just wanted to add there -above.”
Injuries, however, have frequently interrupted the Mavericks' season thus far. Doncic and Irving have only played half of Dallas' 42 games together. The Mavericks are 12-9 with this duo and 12-9 without.
But there's good reason to believe the Mavs can be a dangerous playoff matchup — and that starts with their stars, both for their prodigious offensive prowess and their commitment to the less glamorous parts of the game.
Consider the Mavs' Jan. 11 win over the Knicks. As brilliant as Irving was — he had 44 points and 10 assists while Doncic was out with a sprained ankle — it was a much simpler game that left an impression.
While guarding Jalen Brunson on the left wing early in the fourth quarter, Irving batted the ball away then dove to prevent it from going out of bounds. Irving sent the ball with his right hand to Green before landing on the sideline at the feet of Kidd, who helped Irving up so he could reach a transition opportunity that resulted in a jumper by Tim Hardaway Jr.
“For someone who had that much success in the NBA, as a kid, it motivates you,” Green said.
This is a trait that Irving has long seen in Doncic.
“He's a winner. I'm a winner,” said Irving, who is averaging 25.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists. “He's a great player. I'm a great player. We like to play against the best. That's where I feel like we connect. …
“At this point in his career, in my career, especially talking about me and Luka, it's about how we galvanize the rest of the group. We help each other grow as people, and then the part basketball is the easy part. mentors when I grew up in the league, so I feel like that's the role I play here, being a very young mentor for Luka [and] to all our guys.
“Because I've seen a lot, I've done a lot. I've failed at the highest level, I've succeeded at the highest level and I want to get back to that place.”
