Luka Doncic says he leans on Kyrie Irving’s guidance and experience throughout games, and that Irving’s input has been extremely valuable for him individually and the Dallas Mavericks as a whole.
“When we were winning by nine, on the last possession, I said, ‘I’m tired’. He said, ‘that’s the way it’s supposed to be’,” said Doncic, who finished with 33 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals despite soreness in his sprained right knee.
“He brought that calmness to the team, that maturity, and it’s been unbelievable to have him on our team.”
Irving’s experience certainly seems to have rubbed off on the Mavericks, who were cool under pressure in the fourth quarter of Game 3 tonight, executing to perfection late in the game.
The Timberwolves have been the polar opposite in that sense, with their best players crumbling under pressure far too often.
Irving, on the other hand, has always found ways to step up. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone in Game 3.
“Unbelievable,” Doncic said. “That’s why some people call him Mr. Fourth Quarter, right? Just amazing. He’s born for these situations. He’s born for the clutch situations, so we just get the ball to him.”
Irving himself gave credit to the whole team for rising to the occasion in crunch time.
“Down the stretch, that’s where we make our money, man,” Irving said. “I think we have that poise now, and we’re showcasing just our skillsets out there that a lot of teams have to guard, the depth that we have. A lot of teams have to guard each one of us, and you got to pick your poison.”
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