Kyrie Irving, Dusty May Explain Mavericks' Missed Game-Winner Against Spurs

The Dallas Mavericks fell just short of an impressive comeback on Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, losing 112-111. They trailed by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, but they would rally to take a three-point lead with about six minutes remaining, and then no team ever led by more than two points for the rest of the way.

Victor Wembanyama, who finished with a ridiculous 52 points, 24 rebounds, and 8 blocks, split a pair of free throws with 24 seconds to go, giving the Spurs a one-point lead.

With a chance to win, the Mavericks turned to their veteran guard, Kyrie Irving, for a potential game-winning look. Irving got the ball with about 10 seconds left on the left wing, isolated with Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox. Irving drove right, tried to hit a tough turnaround, but the shot was long off the backboard, and there wasn't enough time to collect the offensive rebound.

KYRIE IRVING FOR THE WIN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/55gfonhuvX
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) November 5, 2026

It was the first potential game-winner that we've seen this season, so it was fascinating to see what new head coach Dusty May would draw up.

Both Irving and May talked about the missed shot after the game.

“I think we had a play called. We talked about it after the game as well, just in terms of the timing of it and just knowing [the] time to score and just what everybody’s comfortable with. I’m truly grateful to have the confidence from my teammates, and I have the most confidence in myself to be able to make some tough shots down the stretch. But it was a great play call for me to at least create an advantage and take a shot, at least going to the rim,” Irving said in his postgame press conference.

“And I got a good look at it, but I just didn’t have my legs underneath me as well. And Fox did a great job of bumping me off my spot. And that’s just sometimes the tale of the game.”

Dusty May Speaks on Final Shot

Nov 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dusty May explains his thought process on the final shot.

“I just wanted to give him a double gap. We had Fox on him and wanted to get a drive middle and Coop[er Flagg] cutting from the corner,” May said in his postgame presser. “Just felt like we had an advantage in space and probably attacked a little bit too late.”

There could be an argument that Flagg's cutting from the corner made Irving spin back for the tough shot, but Fox really just played it as well as he could've defensively. Irving is one of the toughest shot-makers in the NBA. You live with the result in that instance.

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