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Mercurial. That’s the best way to describe the career of Kyrie Irving. A gifted ball-handler who often looks like a wizard among mortals when he’s breaking down a half-court defense.
A former NBA champion alongside LeBron James. And a guard that has been shrouded in controversy in his previous two stops around the league.
The Dallas Mavericks knew they were taking a risk when they acquired Irving at the 2023 NBA trade deadline. Yet, that risk has paid off big time. Irving is having one of the most impactful seasons of his career, and it would appear that it’s because he’s genuinely happy with his surroundings.
“No, he’s been great,” Jason Kidd said during a post-practice news conference. “When you talk about the embrace of coming to Dallas. Some of us, we’ve known him for a long time. I think he’s really enjoyed the city of Dallas. I think he’s enjoyed the people here, the organization. You can see that in his play. He’s playing at a high level right now for us. Again, as being a quarterback and one of the leaders of the team, I think his first year has been incredible.”
Irving has developed a fearsome partnership with Luka Doncic. Despite both players being ball-dominant stars, they’ve found a way to co-exist within the same rotation.
Irving is averaging 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 48 games, shooting 49% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range.
With Doncic and Irving enjoying their basketball, the Mavericks could be a problem once the postseason begins. Both stars are capable of controlling and dominating a game. They excel in the half-court or when pushing the pace in transition.
Nevertheless, both will need to show some improvements on the defensive end.
Regardless of how Dallas’ season turns out, it’s clear that their gamble on Irving has paid off. He’s happy, playing exceptional basketball, and embracing his role as a secondary star next to Doncic. Irving needed this move to be a success as much as Dallas did.
Now, both parties can turn their attention toward winning a championship, either this season or in the very near future.
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