When the Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving from the Nets to team up with Luka Doncic, they were hoping for a dynamic duo and nights, as we saw on Thursday against the visiting 76ers.
Doncic had 42, and Irving added 40 as the Mavericks defeated the 76ers 133-126.
The dynamic duo, who combined for 82 points, became the first pair of Mavericks teammates to score 40-plus points in the same game, and they became only the fifth pair of teammates to record 40-plus points in a non-OT game over the past 30 years.
Doncic was 13/22 from the field, including 7-13 from deep to go along with four rebounds and 12 assists, and Irving was 15/22 from the floor and 6/8 from downtown to go along with four rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
“I thought our leaders, when you talk about Luka [Dončić] and Kai [Kyrie Irving], they were great on both ends of the floor,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said after the win. “Offensively, both having 40 and 42, but those guys set the tone from the first quarter. You know those guys were trying to lead their team to victory, and you know Kai’s sub-pattern kind of changed. I was asking, ‘do you want to come out?’ And he was like, ‘no.’ We let him go a little bit, but you can see those two working together was at a high level against a very good team.”
76ers forward Tobias Harris was impressed by what he saw from Doncic and Irving.
“I mean, two guys damn-near had 100 points on us,” he said. “That team was tough with one wizard with the basketball in Luka (Doncic), and now they got two of them out there. Those are tough matchups. Those are some of the best guys with the basketball in the whole league, and they just picked us apart tonight.”
Doncic liked the scoring but would have liked to have seen some better defense.
“I mean, yeah, like I said, we always talk about the team. The only thing, the offense, I don’t think is a problem … just on the defensive end,” Doncic said. “We play a team like Philly, who is one of the best in the NBA, and showed them what we can do.”
Dallas has lost some close games of late, including Tuesday’s two-point loss to the Pacers, and according to Irving, the team wanted this win against Philadelphia.
“There’s been a few losses over the last week where we felt like they could have been winnable games,” Irving said. “It was definitely a different approach tonight for us as a team because we really wanted this. I wanted this. But I think like I said, last time I was sitting up here, I just had to join the party and make sure my teammates were going to follow along. Luka [Dončić] was ready for the party. I was ready for the party tonight, and it was one of those games where we had some special performances, and I’m just grateful that the work translated because it could’ve gone either way.”
So far, Doncic likes playing with Irving, believing he makes things easier.
“Like I said, it’s way easier,” Doncic said. “It’s unbelievable the things he does on the court, some movements I have never seen in my life. I think if I would have to play with somebody, it would be him for sure because those movements and shots are incredible.”
Dallas led by as many as 25 in the third, but Philly went on a furious run to cut the lead to four, but Dallas closed things out and got the job done.
The Mavericks(33-31) got a much-needed win against Philadelphia and moved back up to the sixth seed in the Western Conference. In addition, they got a fantastic performance from their stars.
Notes:
-The Mavs as a whole were on fire from three-point ranges as the finished with a franchise-tying 25 threes(25/48).
-Reggie Bullockwent 5-10 from 3-point range en route to 15 points. Bullock has scored in double figures in 3 of his last 4 games out of the All-Star Break.
-Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 35 points and 8 rebounds tonight. Dallas native Tyrese Maxey added 29 points, while James Harden scored 27 points to go with 13 assists.
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