SUMMARY
- Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic scored 85 points to lead the Mavericks to an OT win against the Rocket.
- Irving claimed he consoled Doncic following the game as he claimed he was tired.
It was a stellar performance by Kyrie Irving who led the Dallas Mavericks to an incredible victory against the Houston Rockets. They have already won nine of their last 10 games with four more remaining in the regular season. Dallas is evidently making a push to secure a first-class ticket to the playoffs. They rank fifth in the Western Conference with a 48-30 record. Irving’s veteran leadership would bring them major success in the postseason.
The Mavericks secured a 3-1 regular season series lead against the Rockets. The game went into overtime giving the Mavericks a shot to close the game. PJ Washington had a few makes that gave the Mavericks a good lead during OT. The Rockets simply struggled under pressure while Dallas thrived in the midst of it. But Irving’s offensive heroics stole the show completely.
Kyrie Irving speaks on the importance of emotionally encouraging his teammates
Even though Kyrie Irving had a solid performance, the Mavericks would have struggled last night if it weren’t for Luka Doncic’s work as the second option. After the game, Doncic and Irving shared a moment with each which the latter addressed during the press conference. Irving said, “At the end of the game, Luka was like, ‘I’m tired man.’ That’s why I just talked to him right after the game cause he left it all out there. He did all that he could and everybody in this league is laboring in some sort of way, especially as we head into the playoffs.”
Kyrie Irving on his embrace with Luka Doncic at the end of the game:
“Luka was like I’m tired, man. That’s why I just hugged him at the end of the game. He left it all out there…For us as brothers to embrace each other, we know how hard we’ve worked…” pic.twitter.com/0pW2O0YI3O
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) April 8, 2024
He added, “There’s still nothing guaranteed in terms of our seeding and where we’re placed. But we just know what it feels like to be on this side together as a duo… So when the game is done, the buzzer sounds, it’s good to give your brother a hug and let him know, ‘Hey man, you did a great job tonight. You left it all on the floor. Now let’s go get some food, see our families, and leave this game behind us.’” Doncic finished with 37 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds. He almost had another triple-double added to the pot.
Luka Doncic gives all credit to Kyrie Irving for Mavericks win over Rockets
After the game, Doncic didn’t shy away from sharing his thoughts on Kyrie Irving’s performance. Towards the end of the game, it was almost as if Kyrie was left alone to lead the way. He scored 48 points including 7 rebounds, and 2 assists shooting 15-25 from the field.
KYRIE IRVING. 🥶
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 7, 2024
Doncic was asked about being on the floor while Kyrie ignited to glory, he said, “I was just standing, and he was just going.” Doncic and Irving have accepted their roles as teammates despite being ball-dominant offensive players. The Mavericks have three road games against Oklahoma, Miami, and Charlotte. Their 81st game of the season will be against Detroit at the American Airlines Center.