Kyrie Irving's brutally honest admission after loss vs. Nuggets
11/11/2024 05:42 PM
The Denver Nuggets secured their fifth consecutive victory on Sunday night, overcoming a 43-point outburst from Kyrie Irving to defeat the Dallas Mavericks.
Despite holding a lead in the final minute, the Mavericks couldn’t close out as Kyrie Irving's last shot bounced off the back iron. Irving was otherwise exceptional, delivering 43 points, five assists, and five rebounds on an impressive 17-of-22 from the field and 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Even with his impressive showing, Irving didn't find any consolation in it. His post-game comments centered on the team's defensive breakdowns and his disappointment about missing the crucial final shot.
Kyrie Irving not taking any moral victories
“Yeah, it was an empty performance. It feels good to get some shots to go in, it was a great and efficient game. But at the end of the day, I closed out to Michael [Porter Jr.], kept him down and on his right hand," said the shifty Mavericks guard.
Porter made a sharp play, maneuvering around Irving to sink a one-handed shot as the clock wound down, giving Denver a 122-120 lead that would hold as the final score.
"I ran him off the three-point line, but he just got in that lane and had a nice floater. But our defensive scheme could be better. We just got to keep talking to each other, but I do feel like our communication was great tonight. Especially when we were making mistakes, we would come up with a good rhythm," Irving continued.
Nikola Jokic set a new milestone in this game, marking the first time any player has ever posted 37 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists. He was one of six Nuggets players to score in double figures, with Porter Jr. delivering the game-winning shot.
Irving has been the Mavericks’ steadiest performer this season, boasting impressive shooting percentages of 53.9% overall and an exceptional 55.2% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game. However, it's his missed shot at the end that may stand out most in this game's memory.
The Mavericks missing multiple opportunities
“We’ll look at the film, but this one right here — it was definitely emotional. Just because I felt like we had a great chance to win. Missing a game-winner sucks, but the leading possessions up to that — I feel like we could have been better organized. Luka [Doncic] had an iso, which isn't terrible for us, but him and Peyton Watson, we were just very stagnant down the stretch. So yeah, man, just gotta be better, that's all,” Kyrie Irving highlighted.
The Mavericks’ final possessions were frustrating, especially the sequence with Luka. With just over a minute left and a two-point lead, Dallas had an opportunity to close out the game. Instead, they cleared the floor for Luka, who attempted to isolate against Denver’s top defender and settled for a tough, contested pull-up three that missed.
While Irving's last-second attempt wasn't an ideal shot either, it came with only six seconds left, not as a forced, shot-clock bailout.
The defeat brought Dallas to a 5-5 record, falling short of the expectations set after their NBA Finals appearance last season.
The Mavericks will head to San Francisco on Tuesday to take on the Golden State Warriors, marking a homecoming for former splash brother Klay Thompson.
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