Irving’s 42 Leads Mavericks Past Warriors in Close Win

DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving tallied 42 points and took a crucial charge in the closing seconds, helping the undermanned Dallas Mavericks secure a 111-107 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Klay Thompson contributed 17 points against his former team.

Naji Marshall‘s 6-foot floater in the lane advanced Dallas to a 109-107 lead with just 25.6 seconds left on the clock after Steph Curry, who leads the NBA in free-throw shooting at 93.1%, missed the second of two attempts, resulting in a tying score.

In a pivotal moment, Jimmy Butler had a driving basket disallowed due to a charging foul on Irving, a decision that was reaffirmed upon video review. This match was particularly challenging for Dallas, which featured a significantly undersized lineup, with Kessler Edwards and Olivier-Maxence Prosper each standing at 6-foot-8. The Mavericks were missing several key players, including Anthony Davis, who has been sidelined with a groin injury sustained in his team debut on February 1.

Curry led the Warriors with 25 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter, but he struggled overall with a shooting percentage of 39.1% (9-of-23) and only hit 4-of-13 from beyond the arc. Butler added 21 points in his third game since being acquired from the Miami Heat.

The Warriors’ size advantage included 7-foot Quinten Post and 6-foot-9 Kevion Looney, which translated into a 33-11 edge in second-chance points and 62-48 in points in the paint.

Irving played 40 minutes, marking his fifth consecutive game with at least 40 minutes on the floor. Following Butler’s foul, Dallas controlled the ball until Max Christie was fouled with 10.4 seconds remaining. Christie converted both free throws, extending the lead to four points.

In total shooting stats, Dallas outperformed Golden State with a shooting percentage of 48.3% compared to 42.7%, and made 15-of-36 three-point attempts, while the Warriors found success on only 10-of-35 attempts.

Both teams will face off again on back-to-back nights, with the Warriors set to visit Houston and the Mavericks hosting the Miami Heat.

Irving’s performance earned him praise, finishing the night with 15-of-25 shooting from the field and hitting 7-of-10 from three-point range. Alongside him, contributions also came from Klay Thompson (17 points, 7 rebounds), Max Christie (17 points), Brandon Williams (12 points), and Naji Marshall (10 points). The Warriors saw other strong performances, with Butler (21 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists), Moses Moody (14 points), Gary Payton II (14 points), and Draymond Green (13 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds) rounding out the scoring for their team.

As they prepare for their next games, this victory not only showcased Irving’s scoring ability but also highlighted the resilience of the Mavericks despite missing several key players.