Kyrie Irving has taken his game to another level since the start of Ramadan, earning the moniker “Ramadan Kyrie” from the Mavs faithful. With the Mavericks gearing up for a successful post-season, Kyrie Irving’s form must continue to get the franchise over the line for their much-desired NBA Championship win.
Along with Irving, Luka Doncic has been a standout performer this season, interjecting himself in the MVP race and is many of the critics’ favorite to take home the award. After their recent battle with the Rockets, Kyrie Irving discussed the toll of the grueling season and a special moment that he shared with his Slovenian brother.
Kyrie Irving discloses reason behind hugging Luka Doncic
Following their huge comeback against the Houston Rockets, Kyrie Irving hugged the Robin to his Batman, Luka Doncic. In a post-game interview, the Mavericks guard revealed the reason behind the hug.
While talking to the reporters, Irving stated that the Slovenian guard told him that he was tired by the end of the action-thrilling game. “That’s why I just hugged him, man. He left it all out there, and he did all that he could. … That was kind of again, one of those ‘in the moment’ type things for us as brothers to embrace each other. We know how hard we’ve worked and how much work it took to get to this point in the season,” said the former NBA champion.
Kyrie Irving on his embrace with Luka Doncic at the end of the game:
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) April 8, 2024
“Luka was like I’m tired, man. That’s why I just hugged him at the end of the game. He left it all out there…For us as brothers to embrace each other, we know how hard we’ve worked…” pic.twitter.com/0pW2O0YI3O
Both the guards displayed their excellence on the hardwood to secure the much-needed win for the Dallas franchise. And after performing outstandingly in back-to-back games, it is natural for the MVP contender to be tired. So, even though the hug involved the whole team, it was especially meant for Luka Doncic.
Despite having a slippery start in the first half of the season, Luka Doncic buckled up in the latter half and set the court on fire along with Kyrie Irving. The duo has been putting up smashing numbers on the scoreboard for weeks and this game was no different.
Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic overpower Rockets
In the nail-biting game on Sunday, the Mavs duo overturned a 22-point gap taking advantage of their home-court arena.
The Rockets established their dominance in the opening quarter by taking a 15-point lead over the Mavericks, but the difference narrowed in the following quarter to five. Kyrie Irving recorded a massive season-high score of 48 points, 7 rebounds, and two assists along with successfully shooting 15 of 17 free throws, whereas Doncic bagged 37 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds, missing the triple-double by a hair. The duo’s 85 points generated a massive boost to the squad.
The two teams alternatively led in each quarter but thanks to Dante Exum’s 3-pointer for the Mavs in the crunch time that tied the scores in the final quarter. The game rolled on to overtime and ended with a 147-136 victory for the Dallas Mavericks.
After a marvelous 11-game winning streak, the Rockets suffered five straight losses, which put a massive dent in their dreams of participating in the post-season games. As for the Mavericks, the fifth spot in the Western table is secured for them, confirming their appearance in the playoffs. With Irving and Doncic leading the offense like this, the franchise could hope to land the prestigious Larry O’Brien Trophy by proving doubters like Tracy McGrady wrong.
