Kyrie Irving shared a lighthearted moment about his dynamic with Dallas Mavericks teammate Luka Doncic following the team’s 118-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets. In a postgame interview captured by The Smoking Cuban’s Noah Weber, Irving candidly admitted that Doncic can be annoying at times but emphasized that it’s part of their growing friendship.
“Does he ever annoy me? Yeah, people get annoying. He’s not the only person that annoys me,” Irving said. “I annoy him too. But yeah, we’ve just spent a lot of time off the court, just enjoying each other’s presence, our families getting to know each other. We annoy each other when the wine gets going, start telling jokes, and he starts bringing up how he beat me when I was in Brooklyn – just all the extra memories and stuff like that. Annoying is part of the friendship and part of brotherhood, so I’m not mad at it.”
Kyrie Irving praises Luka Doncic's value while Mavericks' battle injuries

When asked about Doncic’s value to the Mavericks, Irving responded with high praise. “Whatever the super, supermax is,” he said, referring to the NBA’s highest allowable contract tier.
Irving returned to action Tuesday night after missing five games due to a lumbar back sprain. In his first game back, he tallied 11 points, four rebounds, four steals, two assists, and a block while easing back into form. The Mavericks struggled to match the energy of the Nuggets, who were led by Nikola Jokic’s near-triple-double performance.
Meanwhile, Doncic remains sidelined with a left calf strain that has kept him out since the team’s Christmas Day 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to TNT’s Jared Greenberg, the Mavericks are optimistic about Doncic’s return before the All-Star break, scheduled for February 14-16. However, the team previously announced that Doncic will not be re-evaluated until late January.
The Mavericks, currently 22-18, continue to adjust to fluctuating availability among their star players. Despite setbacks, Irving and Doncic have shown glimpses of a promising partnership on and off the court, a connection Irving highlighted in his comments.
As Irving works his way back into full form and Doncic edges closer to a return, the Mavericks aim to strengthen their standing in the competitive Western Conference.