Kyrie Irving Reacts After Leading Dallas Mavs' Clutch Win vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 'No Fear'
LOS ANGELES — The Dallas Mavericks came out with a 104-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday but nearly lost despite leading by 20 points at the start of the final period. Kyrie Irving, who finished with 28 points, six rebounds, and two assists, had a variety of big plays in clutch time to seal the victory, including the team's final seven points.
The Mavs trailed briefly, requiring late-game heroics from their superstars, with Kyrie Irving stepping up with a go-ahead catch-and-shoot 3 followed by a pair of made free throws. When Dallas needed a play to be made, he answered the call.
"Resilience and no fear attitude," Irving said. "We knew that we had them against the ropes. We should have won by a little bit more, but they're a great team, and you have to give them credit.
With the Lakers playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Irving acknowledged the Mavs needing to play with a greater energy and felt that being an advantage. While the team had mistakes in the fourth quarter that led to squandering a 20-point lead, the superstar guard will gladly take the victory.
"They were playing off of back-to-back," Irving said. "So we had the energy tonight, but we just had to learn from a few mistakes we're making in that third and fourth quarter, and we came out to win."
In the fourth quarter, the Mavs shot 3-19 (15.8 percent) from the floor and 1-10 (10.0 percent) from the perimeter but didn't turn the ball over. Irving credited the Lakers' physicality and execution of double-teams against himself and Luka Doncic to force tough decisions.
"They play more physically, and then they made us make tough decisions on the double teams on Luka and myself," Irving said. "So, moving forward, we'll be better."
Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving against the Los Angeles Lakers.
During the game, Mavs rookie Dereck Lively II landed awkwardly and hard on the floor after a failed alley-oop connection with Doncic. Richaun Holmes had already been leaned on more before the injury but continued to step up after Lively was ruled out with what was later described as a lower back contusion.
"We all felt it emotionally when D Live [Dereck Lively II] went down, and we just feel for him," Irving said. "But when he went down next man up mentality, it felt good tonight to have that work out in our favor."
The Mavs return to action on Saturday when they face off against the Clippers, ending their two-game road trip in Los Angeles.
