On Tuesday night, the Dallas Mavericks entered Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs with something to prove.
Dallas lost Game 1 to the Los Angeles Clippers after a disappointing performance from the Mavs' role players and a hot shooting night in Los Angeles. The Mavs had to bounce back to regain his momentum before returning to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.
The Mavs won 96-93 against the Clippers, and their defense looked much better than in Game 1.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have both lost strength defensively, and Irving defending one of the Clippers' stars could reignite an old, mysterious rivalry that fans have been waiting for. there were.
Irving played tough defense against former teammate James Harden in both games, and Harden clearly doesn't like Irving's physicality. Irving frustrated Harden in both bouts, but Harden was exceptional in creating distance by hitting Harden hard or pushing him away.
Irving doesn't care if Harden is a former teammate or not, he's focused on winning championships and Harden and the Clippers are getting in the way of that.
There was some drama between Irving and Harden when they played together on the Brooklyn Nets, with Harden reportedly unhappy with Irving's “part-time playing status” due to New York State's vaccination mandate. It is being Because Irving had not received the COVID-19 vaccine, he was not allowed to play in home games for some time.
This was clearly frustrating for Harden. This put even more pressure on them to perform better, and things got even worse considering this trio barely had any matches together. The failure of this superteam must have been frustrating for both Harden and Irving, and since no one seems to know the full extent of their relationship at the end of their tenures in Brooklyn, this series has A rivalry may form.
With both players transferred, there doesn't seem to be any bad blood off the court anymore, but Irving's airtight defense against Harden in both of the first two games of the playoffs clearly frustrated him. Irving was probably the best defender on the floor for Dallas last night along with Doncic, and this battle with Harden is one to watch as the series progresses.
Stay tuned for updates on Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
