Kyrie Irving had his best performance of the young 2023-24 NBA season when he dropped 35 points in under 30 minutes in a convincing win over the Pelicans. Luka Doncic said that Irving had told his teammates that he was tired before the game, prompting the Slovenian guard to call bulls**t on what Kyrie had to say, which led to a funny response from Kyrie.
“He called BS? I was tired. I was. I told him I was tired before the game just to humanize what I was dealing with. I didn’t feel like my absolute best ; I knew it would create some type of inspiration or motivation amongst the guys. Told them that I needed to be picked up… I was tired before the game but once the game started, I got going.”
Kyrie Irving responded to Luka Dončić calling BS on him saying he was tired before his 35 pts 7 ast 6 reb night on 65 / 70 / 100 shooting splits.
“I knew it would create some type of inspiration or motivation amongst the guys. Told them that I needed to be picked up.” 😂 https://t.co/bqkk97xQly pic.twitter.com/4exKyReHy2
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) November 13, 2023
Doncic’s admission of what Irving said to the team before the game was hilarious as well, as he tried his best not to curse and avoid a fine from the NBA.
“He said he was tired before the game. So that was, how do you say that, (paused then smiled) BS. So I don’t get fined.”
Luka Dončić on Kyrie Irving 35-point night:
“He said he was tired before the game. So that was, how do you say that (paused then smiled) BS. So I don’t get fined.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/f6g4TiFyt4
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) November 13, 2023
Doncic held his own alongside Irving, scoring 30 points with nine assists. The pair were offensively on another level and the Pelicans just stood no chance of stopping them. Even with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans didn’t look competitive against a team many thought they would outperform coming into the season.
The Mavericks Are Tied For The Best Record In The NBA
After the Mavericks made the February trade for Kyrie Irving, most people firmly believed that this duo would not work due to their lack of defense. It proved true last season, as the Mavs plummeted from the No. 4 seed to the No. 11 seed with Doncic and Irving. However, getting a lottery pick and making the right summer signings have returned Mavericks among the contenders in the West.
They are currently 8-2 through their first 10 games this season, with one of their losses coming to the team they have a tied record with, the reigning champion Nuggets. The offense has looked spectacular, with the Mavs having the greatest half-court offense in regular season history and the second-best offensive rating so far this season.
Doncic is averaging 32.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.5 assists and is looking destined to add a fifth All-NBA First Team selection in his sixth season in the league. Irving is shaking off a slow start, averaging 23.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists so far this season. He’s dealt with nagging injuries but has come out firing in the last two Mavericks games, scoring over 20 points in the first halves of both games.
The team’s defense is still a cause for concern, but not nearly as bad as last season. The superior offensive options on the roster are helping the team outscore their opponents, with no team scoring less than 110 points on them. But as long as the offense is cooking like it has been, the Mavs will happily take it.
Their schedule is destined to get harder after some easy matchups through the first 10 games. They aren’t losing games they’re not supposed to, which was an issue last season and has been an issue for all the top sides in the West not named the Nuggets. It’ll be interesting to see if they can sustain this and be a playoff lock going forward.
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