The Dallas Mavericks head into Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers sporting a respectable 6-2 record. Luka Doncic is performing at an MVP-caliber level while Dallas has received contributions from key role players as well. Kyrie Irving's start to the season has seen its ups and downs, with Irving playing like a different kind of star.
Everyone knows that Irving is a great player. He's always been a point guard who tends to score at a high level while displaying elite handles. Irving's a good passer, but isn't usually near the top of the assist rankings.
Kyrie Irving has also been one of the better three-point shooting point guards in the NBA over the years. His ability to knock down the long ball makes him a threat from all over the court.
In 2023-24 though, Irving is playing like a more old-school point guard.
Kyrie Irving's 2023-24 three-point struggles
Luka Doncic is finding the bottom of the net on a consistent basis. Kyrie Irving has struggled to find his shot early in the year.
Anyone who has watched a Mavs game this year will agree that Irving doesn't look quite as aggressive in terms of shooting the basketball. He's currently averaging just 6.0 three-point attempts per game, per Basketball Reference. Irving is shooting just 27.8 percent on those three-point attempts.
He's also posted a 43.1 field goal percentage. Irving is a crafty scorer who can get to the free-throw line, so he is still averaging over 20 points per game. His usual efficiency and aggression have both been lacking up to this point, however.
It isn't all bad though.
Assists, assists, and more assists
With Doncic clicking on all cylinders and other Mavs' role players stepping up, Irving has excelled as a distributor. His 7.3 assists per game would be the highest mark of his entire NBA career.
It is obviously still early in the season and there are no guarantees that Irving will continue to post more than seven assists per contest. But people around the NBA wondered how Irving and Doncic would develop chemistry with one another. Perhaps Irving's willingness to share the ball is the X-Factor behind Dallas' early-season success.
Kyrie Irving is too good of a player to continue struggling mightily with his shot. He will find his footing sooner rather than later. But don't be surprised if Irving continues to dish out assists while helping to lead this Mavs team.
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