As Kyrie Irving navigated through his options in free agency, he felt returning to the Dallas Mavericks was the best choice for him on and off the court. The Mavericks organization valued him, allowed him to be himself and he wanted to reunite with Luka Dončić on the quest to return the franchise back to prominence in the NBA playoffs.
The connection between the Mavs co-stars started to grow in preseason, during their international trip to Abu Dhabi and Spain. It brought them closer and gave them an opportunity to connect off the court away from home and on the court with practices.
Over the course of this season, not only has the pairing shown they can work together, it is the premier duo in the league.
Dončić and Irving together this season:
- 30-15 record
- Won the last 10 games
- 16-5 after trade deadline
- Most points per game as a duo
- Only duo to average 25 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds per game
- Dončić has averaged 33.8 points, 9.8 assists and 9.1 rebounds in 64 games this season.
- Irving has averaged 25.4 points, 5.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 51 games this season.
“I think what gets overshadowed for me and Luka specifically is how good of teammates we are, you know on and off the floor. We are very selfless. Obviously, I have a ton of respect for him. He has a ton respect for me.” Kyrie Irving stated on the relationship that him and Luka have built.
Individually, Dončić and Irving are incredible talents but in this star-driven league, you need an elite duo to reach the pinnacle.
The Mavs are in a different tier when both players are healthy and on the court together, as seen below.
- Mavs record with Dončić, without Irving : 11-8
- Mavs record with Irving, without Dončić: 3-3
- Mavs record with Dončić and Irving: 30-15
- Mavs net rating with Dončić on the court without Irving: +3.35
- Mavs net rating with Irving on the court without Dončić: +1.09
- Mavs net rating with Dončić and Irving on the court: +7.19
“I think we’re both happy and we’re both doing some good things on the floor and we have great teammates so I think this team is special.” Luka Dončić on how his pairing with Kyrie Irving has grown over the past year.
Irving’s championship experience and calm demeanor is a positive for Dončić, whose compassion can get the best of him at times. Dončić’s fun-like personality has rubbed off on Irving as well. You see the 32-year old guard joining trick shots during practice and pre-game warmups like Dončić and enjoying himself with his teammates. Whether it’s Irving’s handles and tough finishes in the paint or Doncic’s difficult shot making and jaw-dropping assists, their chemistry and ability to raise their play under pressure makes them hard to beat.
When you blitz Dončić and Irving, they make the right read and play 4-on-3. When you don’t double team them, they take advantage of their matchup. They are both three-level scorers, by getting to their spots and scoring in the paint, mid-range and beyond the arc. The 25-year-old guard has altered his game this season to implement Irving into the offense. Dončić improved off-ball shooting, lowered his usage with Irving initiating offense more and Mavericks pushed the pace much faster.
“I made a decision a long time ago that I wanted to be one of the greatest to ever play this game. I know I have other peers of mine that are on that same mission. We’re all competing against each other. I’m fortunate to have one of the best to ever play the game in Luka with me.” Kyrie Irving stated on his hard work.
Another reason we are seeing success from the Mavs is the players surrounding the stars. Dončić and Irving praises their teammates every chance they get and find ways to uplift them as the leaders of the team.
The additions of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline has paid dividends for the Mavericks, as they keep climbing in the standings in the Western Conference. The emphasis on defense, rebounds and points in the paint has shifted the team’s identity to a well-balanced team. The Mavs have shown the ability to get wins after bad shooting performances.
“They never complain. They just play, they just play hard. They hustle every play. It’s just amazing to play with those two guys.” Luka Dončić on Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington.
Jason Kidd’s lineup adjustment inserting Derrick Jones Jr. back into the starting lineup alongside Gafford has worked. The Mavs have won 10 of their last 11 games.
The starting lineup of Dončić, Irving, Jones, Washington and Gafford is a great balance offensively and defensively, as seen below.
- Net Rating: 22.53
- Offensive Rating: 124.26
- Defensive Rating: 101.72
Key reserves in Dante Exum and rookie Dereck Lively II have had big moments during this stretch for the team, both players were starters for the Mavs earlier this season. The older veterans in Maxi Kleber and Tim Hardaway Jr. round out the current rotation. Both players have been inconsistent this season due to injuries in Kleber and up-and-down shooting performances in Hardaway, but when they are locked in shooting the ball and giving effort on defense, they push the Mavs level of play against opponents.
Josh Green is expected to return soon , he has missed the past 6 games due to an ankle sprain.
Since the NBA trade deadline, Mavs rank:
- Wins – 2nd (16)
- Offensive Rating – 3rd (118.7)
- Defensive Rating – 11th (111.8)
- Net Rating – 4th (7.0)
- Points – 4th (119.5 per game)
- Rebounds- 6th (45.0 per game)
- Blocks – 7th (6.0 per game)
- FG% – 3rd (52.0%)
- Points in the Paint – 6th (52.6 per game)
Defeating the Sacramento Kings in two consecutive games on the road was impressive. The Mavericks showed they are in a different position than they were prior to the trade deadline, by defeating a tough physical team in Sacramento where you still can hear the cowbells ringing.
They won in two different ways, the shots were going for the Mavs during the first game in a blowout fashion as they won 132-96. The Mavericks beat the Kings by a score differential of 36 points, marking the third-largest win margin the team has had against Sacramento in franchise history (40-point win margin, 11/12/88; 39, 1/14/12). Dončić recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists in his 18th triple-double of the season. This marks the most triple-doubles in a single season in franchise history, breaking his previous record of 17. Irving had 24 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds.
The Mavs showed resilience in the second game by matching the Kings physicality and desperation, winning in the clutch 107-103. The Mavs won their 21st clutch game (a game within a margin of 5 points in the last five minutes) this year. The team has the best record in the league this season (21-8, .724) in clutch situations. With 30 points, Irving eclipsed 17,000 career points, the 103rd player in NBA history to do so. Irving scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, without missing a shot. Dončić had 26 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds.
The two constants from the defining wins against Kings were defense and Mavs co-stars rising to the occasion. It gives you a glimpse of how this team can perform in the playoffs, with Dončić and Irving leading them. Tough environment on the road two physical games and they still performed at a high level. Both players possess the ability to make difficult shots, uplift teammates and captivate fans in attendance with their craft.
“Being here in Dallas, I’ve been accepted way beyond just my talent on the court. I think it’s for what I represent in the broader world and how I try to make an impact and try to help a lot of different walks of life.” Kyrie Irving on being in Dallas for a full year.
Dallas is currently 44-29, positioned as sixth in the Western Conference, with a 1.5 game above seventh and a chance to move up. Nine games remain in the season, as the schedule looks favorable for the Mavericks, it won’t be easy to sustain this level of play. Each game will be a test for the team ahead of playoffs. From what we have seen, the Mavericks will be ready for it with Dončić and Irving at the helm of the team.