In Game 2 against the OKC Thunder in their second-round series on Thursday night, the Dallas Mavericks evened the series at one after key contributions from Luka Doncic, who had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, and P.J. Washington, who added 29 points and 11 rebounds, as the Mavericks defeated the Thunder 119-110.
Despite not scoring many points(nine) on 2/8 shooting from the floor, Kyrie Irving’s impact on the game was undeniable. His versatility was on full display, as he recorded 11 assists, two steals, and two blocks, contributing significantly to the Mavericks’ victory. Doncic was not surprised that Irving was able to impact the game in so many different ways in Game 2.
“He can do everything on the floor, and we should talk about his defense too,” Doncic said after the win. “He’s been playing amazing defense this whole playoffs. And I know a lot of guys won’t talk about it, but he’ll be amazing on both sides, helping everybody. And just like I always say, it’s amazing to have him on our team and to learn from him a lot.”
Mavs coach Jason Kidd says Irving is not getting the credit he deserves for his defensive work.
“Yeah, he this guy’s been great this whole playoff run,” Kidd said. “His defense, I know he’s probably not labeled a defender, but here of late, he’s playing defense at a high level. He’s taking the challenge, and I thought tonight he did set the table offensively for a lot of guys, but I thought his defense was really, really good, and we’re going to need that as we go forward.”
Irving is averaging 23.5 points per contest in this year’s playoffs, including three 30-point-plus games, so he will get his points, which is expected. However, what he’s giving on the defensive end is also expected. Irving averages almost two steals per game (1.9) in these playoffs, which he averaged in the regular season, so maybe Kidd’s right; let’s credit Irving for what he’s doing on the defensive end.
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