Kyrie Irving makes Dallas something it hasn't been in the Luka Doncic era
Kyrie Irving was supposed to ease into his role with the Dallas Mavericks. He was supposed to look like typical Irving but not be typical Irving. At least not so soon. But easing into a role is never how Irving rolls. The uber-talented scoring machine, who has left every team under a haze of smoke […]
Kyrie Irving was supposed to ease into his role with the Dallas Mavericks.
He was supposed to look like typical Irving but not be typical Irving. At least not so soon. But easing into a role is never how Irving rolls. The uber-talented scoring machine, who has left every team under a haze of smoke and contentiousness, erupted onto the scene in the Mavericks' 110-104 win over the LA Clippers Wednesday night.
And in the midst of his soothingly efficient 24-point debut, Irving offered a glimpse — merely a glimpse — of just how good his presence can make this team.
He helps everybody," Theo Pinson said after the game. "He attracts so much attention. And now we’ve got two guys like that, who attracts so much attention and open up the floor for everybody.”
He doesn't just "draw attention." Irving's presence could make the Mavericks' offense unguardable.
How Kyrie Irving makes Dallas unguardable
Immediately notable in Irving's first appearance as a Mavericks was the pace with which the team played. With Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie in the backcourt, two isolation-heavy players, the Mavericks plodded as one of the slower teams in the league.
Dinwiddie, often a ball stopper, looked to manipulate a switch, and if that was not possible, he would settle for a 3-point shot or a late swing to a teammate on the wing. His game, though functional, held a bit of predictability.
Insert Irving and Dallas possesses some offensive surprise again. Naturally, Irving can score in isolation. But he also likes to speed the game up in transition. That was evident against the Clippers, as the Mavericks scored 41 points in the first quarter — a season-high.
Also with Irving comes the unpredictable promise of the impossible. In his first game, he saved a handful of Mavericks possessions that — before his arrival — would have merely been throwaways. His ability to create space when there is none, or find angles where there were thought to be impasses, opens up nearly endless offensive options.
Exhibit A:
Now, comes reality: When Doncic returns from injury, the Mavericks will have two elite shot creators.
With just Irving on the floor, the Clippers struggled to keep tabs on Reggie Bullock, who enjoyed his best game of the season (18 points on six made 3-pointers). So with both Doncic and Irving, opponents won't have a real answer for Dallas offensively. And if one of Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr., or Bullock is making outside shots, the opposition will most likely try and outscore the Mavericks instead of stopping them.
Good luck.
In trading for Irving, Dallas created a pick-your-poison puzzle that has a chance to leave a number of teams reeling in its wake. And the good news for Dallas is, Irving, at least for now, appears bought into the idea.
“It just felt good to get this debut out of the way," he said. "It’s just been a long 96 hours, barely any sleep sometimes. First time I’ve gotten traded in the middle of a season, so it’s new for me, but I’m excited that I’m here. Let’s just keep things rolling now.”
Related Dallas Mavericks reading
"Kyrie Irving explains what to expect from Luka Doncic pairing."
"Why Kyrie Irving is always worth the risk."
"How the Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving."
Feature image via Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
