Kyrie Irving led the Dallas Mavericks to an excellent 116-93 win over the San Antonio Spurs tonight, overcoming a 15-point first-quarter deficit to extend their current win streak to six games. Irving had some sensational moments in his 34-point outing, including an incredible rim finish over the outstretched Victor Wembanyama.
Kyrie TOUGH lay on Wemby 👀 https://t.co/7ouO9K8N3G
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 15, 2024
Irving revealed that Wembanyama told him that it was ‘a lucky shot’ after the play.
“Big fella (Wemby) just came over and said that was a lucky shot. I caught him with a hesi, baseline, he thought I was going to reverse it and I went middle. Something about using that rim as protection as a small guard. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but that play it worked, so I’m grateful.”
Kyrie Irving on his tough bucket on Victor Wembanyama:
“Big fella (Wemby) just came over and said that was a lucky shot. I caught him with a hesi, baseline, he thought I was going to reverse it and I went middle. Something about using that rim as protection as a small guard.” pic.twitter.com/IBncFtGYU3
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) February 15, 2024
We have seen how proficient Irving is at finishing at the basket his entire career. Many experts rank him as one of the greatest finishers in NBA history due to his incredible ability to target incredible angles to convert jelly layups over challenging coverages. Wembanyama’s eight-foot wingspan was no match for Irving’s seasoned ability, as this was one of many finishes at the rim for Kyrie on the night.
Wembanyama put up 26 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks in a strong individual showing. However, he was not as impactful after the first quarter, with the Mavericks throwing complicated defensive schemes with a rotating set of players to limit Wemby. PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II had incredible success against Wembanyama, especially Lively who ended the night as a +27 in just 17 minutes.
Dereck Lively check ins & outs:
IN | 4:50 in 1Q – DAL down 14
—
OUT | 12:00 in 2Q – DAL down 7
—
IN | 6:35 in 2Q – DAL down 10
—
OUT | 0:00 in 2Q – DAL up 5
He’s a team high +22. V. Wembanyama did not score a single FG while guarded by Dereck Lively. pic.twitter.com/6RqdKDozl4
— Dereck Lively II Muse (@DL2Muse) February 15, 2024
Kyrie is averaging 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season. He looks the happiest he has been in a while and is hoping to continue the Mavericks win streak after the All-Star break, where his co-star Luka Doncic will make his fifth appearance as an All-star (fourth as a starter).
Kyrie Irving Has Refueled The Mavericks
The best player on the Mavericks is Luka Doncic, who could regain ground in the MVP race if Dallas’ continues picking up wins. Doncic is averaging 34.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists, destined to pick up the scoring title this season barring a dramatic drop-off. But the winning difference-maker in their last six wins has been Kyrie Irving.
Irving’s season has been plagued with injuries, already missing 22 of the Mavericks’ 55 games so far this year. But he’s averaged 26.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists over the last six games. Doncic has been playing through a broken nose and other minor injuries, so Irving being able to share the load has been massive for their winning chances. Last season, games like this would have been a definite loss for Dallas, but Kyrie is making the difference now.
Their trade deadline acquisitions continue to pay dividends. PJ Washington has had a slow start offensively in Dallas, averaging 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds through three games, but has been their best perimeter defender. He was crucial in limiting Wembanyama tonight and has been hailed by Jason Kidd, Doncic, and Irving for his defensive ability already.
Daniel Gafford has had three straight games with 10 rebounds or more, helping Dallas transform itself from one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA to one of the best in the span of the last three games.
A lot of things are going right for them right now, but Irving’s impact on the locker room and winning has been undeniable. They need to build on this success after the All-Star break to realize their goal as contenders this season.
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