DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz on Thursday by a final score of 113-97. Luka Doncic and Daniel Gafford both enjoyed big games, but it was Kyrie Irving's alley-oop with Doncic that stole headlines.

Kyrie is not exactly known for his alley-oop finishes, but there's no denying the fact that his dunk on Thursday was incredibly impressive. Irving addressed the moment while speaking to reporters following the Mavs' victory.

“Some of my teammates were laughing at me a few weeks ago when I told them ‘throw me a lob,'” Irving said. “Guess who's laughing now.”

Kyrie ultimately finished the game with 16 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. As aforementioned, Doncic and Gafford led the charge for Dallas. Luka dropped 34 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, while Gafford had his most points (24) in a Mavs uniform.

It was an all-around strong effort for the Mavs. They did not shoot the ball like they want to, but Dallas found ways to score in the paint. In fact, they set a new franchise record with 18 dunks, which played a role in their 62 points in the paint.

Yes, it was a solid win. But what did Irving's teammates have to say about his alley-oop finish?

Mavericks react to Kyrie Irving's alley-oop

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) dunks over Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks (0) and Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) during the second half at American Airlines Center.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Daniel Gafford got brutally honest on Irving's dunk while speaking to reporters.

“I didn't think he had it in him in all honesty,” Gafford said. “It was a high lob. I was like, ‘oh, snap.' I thought he was going to get it with two hands, he gives us a one hand. It was dope, though. Seeing how it just played out, I was like, yeah, we're going to get something crazy out of these two. And they gave us something crazy for sure.”

Derrick Jones Jr., a former Slam Dunk Contest champion, was asked to grade Irving's dunk.

“I give him a 50 (out of 50),” Jones said. “I give him a 50 for sure.”

Dallas playing well

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The Mavs moved into sixth place in the Western Conference as a result of Thursday's win. That means if the season ended today they would clinch a playoff spot, as opposed to an NBA Play-In Tournament position.

But the season is not over and there is still more work to do. As aforementioned, the Mavs relied on dunks and points in the paint against Utah. I asked Kyrie Irving about the importance of scoring in the paint with the playoffs drawing near.

“It's vital for us to continue to attack the paint,” Irving said. “Test teams at the rim. It is the most efficient shot in basketball… I just want to continue to have that mentality to attack other teams. If you're not going to stop us, then keep going. I think it can help us tremendously as we get ready for playoffs.”

It certainly played a role, albeit the Jazz have struggled during the 2023-24 campaign. Regardless, finding ways to be efficient near the rim will help matters against good teams. Of course, finding consistency from beyond the arc won't hurt either.

With all of that being said, the Mavericks are playing well right now. They will have a few days off before embarking on a five game road trip, with the first contest of the trip scheduled for Monday in Utah.