Kyrie Irving’s expertise in key area shows why he’s perfect for Mavericks – The Smoking Cuban

Kyrie Irving showed again why he is the king of the second half.

In a matchup against Minnesota, the veteran put the team on his back against their Western Conference foe.

His effort was needed after Luka Doncic limped to the dressing room towards the end of the first half.

Irving is the perfect piece for the Mavericks and he showed why tonight.

Doncic has not been at his best to start the season.

Although Doncic hit a cool shot near the half-court logo to seal the victory, Irving was the main show in the second half.

After 24 points in the first quarter from Anthony Edwards, Edwards cooled off for the rest of the night.

Instead, it was the Irving show in the second half, picking his way and making shots almost every time he touched the ball. He scored a total of 35 points in the game.

It was a game where everyone did their job. Klay Thompson continued his hitting streak from beyond the arc. While Doncic was out and struggling for parts of the game, Irving was always there to play on the offensive end.

Irving hit six 3-pointers on the night while also having a very good look on the court. Normally, Irving uses his handle to get through space in absurd traffic, but that wouldn’t be the case against their Western Conference foe.

TNT’s Stan Van Gundy is still high on the Doncic and Irving duo, claiming they are the best duo in NBA history.

Those are strong words from Van Gundy, especially since the two players are in just their second full season together.

The skilled nature of both players is something the NBA cannot ignore. Irving on the Mavericks looks like something this league has rarely seen. He was ready to be a real leader this season. If he needs to be the guy to take over, he will, and he did against Minnesota.

Nico Harrison would have loved to have Irving in it eight years ago, but Irving in 2024 is a different story. Irving seems mentally ready to play in a Maverick uniform any time.

Doncic could very well bring out the best in Irving in his veteran years, and Doncic needs veterans like Irving and Thompson to help him get back to the NBA Finals.

We don’t need to see this kind of basketball from Irving all season long, just consistency, but if the Mavs can get these performances from Irving more times over the course of the season, the Mavericks will be hard to stop.