DALLAS — As the clock ticks toward zero Western Conference Finals Game 3The moment Kyrie Irving put his arm around Luka Doncic, the NBA’s most unlikely success story was greeted with cheers from the crowd. Dallas Mavericksthe latest 116-107 victory. Minnesota Timberwolves They fell into a hole that no team has ever come back from. 3-0 deficit It’s impossible to win an NBA playoff series, and no team will ever be able to stand up to the offensive power of Irving and Doncic.
Who would have believed this when Irving broke out of Brooklyn and joined yet another NBA roster last winter? Sure, the Irving-Doncic pairing had potential, but we’d seen this play before. Irving was on successful teams, paired with superstar teammates, and it all inevitably ended badly. Cleveland, Boston, Brooklyn, Vesuvius left less of a mark. Across the league, I rolled my eyes. When the Mavs spent $126 million on Irving last summer, Irving’s time in Dallas ended the same way..
But that’s not the case: Dallas is on the brink of its first Finals appearance in more than a decade, and Irving is a big reason why. There’s something familiar about Irving: his feathery jump shot, his magical ability with the ball. Irving scored 33 points in 42 minutes in Game 3.He shot 60 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three-point range, but he scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including a spinning layup and a mid-range jump shot to hold off the T-Wolves.
“Mr. Fourth Quarter, right?” Doncic said. “He’s awesome.”
But there are some things that may be unfamiliar. If you know Irving, Boston Rebellious Stars, Brooklyn detached houseIn Dallas, Irving’s presence is as foreign as heavy snow. His teammates praise his leadership. “He’s teaching these young guys what it means to be a professional,” Jason Kidd said. Dallas coaches appreciate Irving’s maturity and willingness to follow through.
“Kai has a lot of experience,” Kidd said. “He doesn’t care if he’s at second base or first base. There aren’t a lot of guys like that in this league.”
Deep down, Irving never thought of himself as a second choice; he’s too proud for that. No matter who the greats of any era are — Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, LeBron James — there’s a part of Irving that believes he and a few of his old New Jersey neighbors could give it a run for their money. At 32, Irving is still a scorer. After hearing Kidd’s comments, Irving shrugged and smiled.
“Honestly, at this point in my life, I don’t care if I’m 1A or 1B or maybe B or C as a second option,” Irving said. “I’m just interested in winning basketball games.”
Everything about Dallas suited Irving well. After a career spent in cold climates, Irving embraced the muggy Texas heat. “The seasonal blues is real,” Irving said. Kidd, the Hall of Fame point guard, is a kindred spirit and a leader Irving can relate to. Kidd encouraged Irving to study the older generation’s game — winners who always found a way to make an impact, not just Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but Robert Horry and Scottie Pippen.
Irving has been teammates with a ton of stars, from LeBron James to Jayson Tatum to Kevin Durant to James Harden. Doncic is the latest, and it looks like a long-lasting duo. Doncic scored 33 points on Sunday. It was the third time Irving and Doncic have scored 30 or more points in the same postseason game, and the first time a starting backcourt has done it in 50 years. Doncic and Irving just need to be patient and disciplined in their approach, not your turn/my turn.
“Ever since I was young, I always felt like I was one of the best players in the world because I got to play with other great players,” Irving said. “I don’t ask for the ball, I don’t demand it, I play defense and all those other things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, and I always wanted to be remembered as that.”
Doncic was big for Irving. But Irving was big for Doncic. The Mavs had used a succession of wingman candidates in Doncic’s six seasons. Jalen Brunson, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kristaps Porzingis, none of them had stuck. On the court, Irving draws defenders. Off the court, he’s Doncic’s guide to navigate the uncharted waters of the playoffs. Late in Game 3, Doncic told Irving he was tired.
“He said it was expected,” Doncic said. “He [has] “He brings calm to the team and he brings maturity to me. It’s incredible to have him on the team.”
“I used to think leadership was me, me, me and taking all the responsibility,” Irving said. “No, that’s not it at all. Surround yourself with good people, good family, good friends. [who] I love you unconditionally, anything is possible.”
There will always be doubters. In Boston, he’s accused of dragging the team backwards. In Brooklyn, his departure put them on the road to rebuilding. To them, he’s a time bomb, an organizational nuke just waiting to explode. But they don’t see what the Mavericks see: a leader content to be a soldier, a star happy to take on a supporting role. In Dallas, Irving says he’s found peace.
At least, most of it was. As Irving finished his press conference on Sunday, two children screamed outside the curtains, tired and just waiting for their dad to take them home. Irving smiled and winked, answered a few more questions, and then stepped off the stage.
“It feels like a great chapter is just beginning,” Irving said. “I’m enjoying every step of it.”
