The Dallas Mavericks required a leader to step up after general manager Nico Harrison’s shocking decision to trade franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans were outraged, with several ejected from Monday’s overtime loss to the Kings for protesting the move. All-Star Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return from LA, and the Mavs’ other top big men were sidelined for an extended Kyrie Irving seemed unmoved.
Wednesday night, he gave the Mavericks and their fans a much-needed moment of success, scoring 42 points and drawing a vital charge in the final minute to secure a 111-107 victory over the Golden State Warriors. “That was special,” said Mavs guard Klay Thompson, who had 17 points against his old team. “Incredible—42 points and the largest defensive stop of the night. We needed that, especially because I wasn’t shooting well. That’s our point guard, dude. That was surreal.”
The American Airlines Center was crowded with thousands of Warriors fans, including some wearing Luka Dončić jerseys, as is typical during the Stephen Curry era. Unlike Monday’s game, the night was not marred by security incidents in the stands, and there were no loud “Fire Nico!” cries reverberating around the arena. Irving credited the audience with reviving the Mavericks, a much-needed boost considering the team’s injury woes—so much so that 6-foot-7 Kessler Edwards, on a two-way contract, started at center.
Irving ensure supporters a confidence
“In games like tonight, when you’re searching for energy, you look to the crowd, to our fans,” Irving told reporters. “You may feed off of it; become amplified and electrified by it. It makes a significant impact on our home. We have to preserve our arena, and I believe our fans realize this. We are confronting a unique struggle, but we must persevere.”
Irving, who will make his seventh All-Star appearance this weekend as Anthony Davis’ injured substitute, put on a show, giving the crowd enough to cheer about with a spectacular shooting effort. He went 15-of-25 from the field and 7-of-10 from beyond the arc, including a quick burst of three triples in 41 seconds in the third quarter. According to ESPN Research, he scored 32 points on contested shots (12 out of 21).
“That’s what great players do,” said Stephen Curry, who had 25 points. “They react to any type of adversity or unexpected change, no matter how extreme. We had a few defensive blunders, particularly in the first half, which he took advantage of. This just fueled him more. Once he gets started, he’s difficult to stop.”
With 25.2 seconds left, the Warriors had a chance to tie or take the lead after Naji Marshall’s floater gave the Mavs a two-point advantage. Irving, who played just under 40 minutes, saved the game by drawing a charge on a driving Jimmy Butler. “Plain and simple, if I’m putting my body on the line, we all have to,” said Irving, who has been dealing with a bulging disc in his lower back. “For me, it’s that same mindset—whatever it takes to win.”
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