On Sunday evening, the Dallas Mavericks faced off against the Denver Nuggets in a nail-biter in Colorado, narrowly falling short with a final score of 122-120. Though the Mavericks couldn’t secure the win, Kyrie Irving put on a classic performance that kept the game competitive until the very end.
The Mavericks star put on a show, tallying 43 points, along with five rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block. Over 35 minutes, he shot an efficient 17-of-22 from the floor and connected on 6-of-8 attempts from three-point range.
Kyrie Irving channeling his inner Ray Allen
Irving is off to a remarkable start this season, averaging 25.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 55.2% from beyond the arc making him the first guard since Seattle Supersonics’ Ray Allen in 2004 to average 25 points per game on 55% three-point shooting through the first 10 games.
Kyrie Irving also surpassed Peja Stojakovic (1,760) to claim the 29th spot on the all-time three-pointers made list. Next up for Irving is Rashard Lewis, who sits at 1,787 career threes.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets (7-3) ultimately claimed the victory, edging out the Dallas Mavericks (5-5) with the win.
With just 6.5 seconds left, Michael Porter Jr. hit a clutch floater, sealing the Nuggets' close win. The Mavericks had two final opportunities to push the game into overtime, but Kyrie Irving's three-point attempt fell short, and Daniel Gafford missed a tip-in, letting Denver hold on for the victory.
Though it wasn’t enough, Doncic had an impressive outing for the Mavs, posting 24 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds. Daniel Gafford chipped in with 16 points, Naji Marshall tallied 11, and Klay Thompson contributed 10 points.
The Dallas Mavericks coming up short again
The Mavericks’ bench turned in another underwhelming performance, with Jason Kidd narrowing the rotation to nine players and opting to sit Quentin Grimes.
Dwight Powell, Jaden Hardy, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper managed only 16 points collectively on 6-of-18 shooting. Prosper, in particular, struggled, finishing with a -13 in just eight minutes of play during the Mavs' two-point loss.
Nikola Jokic put on an impressive display, notching yet another triple-double with 37 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists—a statline that feels almost surreal. Jamal Murray added 18 points, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 17, including the clutch game-winner, while Peyton Watson scored 16, Christian Braun 14, and Julian Strawther 12.
Though Dallas controlled the paint, Denver took command from beyond the arc, hitting 14 of 29 three-pointers compared to the Mavericks' 10 of 33.
For the second time in as many games, the Mavericks held a lead with under a minute left but ended up losing in regulation. They have significant issues to address, and things won't get any easier with a matchup against the Warriors on Tuesday.