Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving showed up when the team needed him most on Sunday against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
The Mavericks and Nuggets were tied as Dallas had the final possession in regulation. Irving received the inbounds pass with less than three seconds left in the game. He came off a screen and curled up with the ball.
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Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots the winning basket in the last second against the Denver Nuggets in Dallas on March 17, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving reacts after hitting the game-winning shot against the Denver Nuggets in Dallas on March 17, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
He dribbled to the foul line and launched a running shot with his left hand, and the ball went through the basket as the buzzer sounded. Mavericks players ran toward Irving to celebrate the victory.
Dallas won, 107-105.
“We trust Kyrie,” Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II said. “Anytime we see him get the ball, sit back and watch it happen.”
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Irving finished the game with 24 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
“Sometimes I spend just an hour at a time working on straight shots with my left hand,” Irving said of his game-winning goal. “Being a small point guard, you have to have a multitude of finishes. And that's something I've been working on since I was a kid.”
Denver gave itself a chance, coming back from a 13-point deficit. Jamal Murray scored a three-pointer to break the tie with 26 seconds left. Murray finished with 23 points.
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Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts with teammates PJ Washington (25) and Tim Hardaway Jr. after Irving scored the game-winning shot against the Denver Nuggets in Dallas on March 17, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Dallas improved to 39-29 with the victory. Denver fell to 47-21.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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