Kyrie Irving delivers to Mavs -Fans in the middle of tumultuous month

Dallas – Dallas Mavericks desperately needed their leader to deliver.

Chaos swirled around Mavs in the 12 days since General Manager Nico Harrison’s amazing decision to trade with franchise Luka Doncic to Los Angeles Lakers. All-Star Anthony Davis, headliner of the return from LA, and Mavs’ other top three big men are out for a long period of time. Fans were furious at losing Doncic and several were thrown out of Monday’s overtime loss to Sacramento Kings for fairly routine protest. Coach Jason Kidd was so frustrated that he skipped his media session post and apologized before Wednesday’s game.

Kyrie Irving remained calm through it all. And he made sure that Mavericks and their fans had a feel-good moment, scored 42 points and took a critical charge in the last minute of a 111-107 win over the Golden State Warriors.

“It was special,” said Mavs Vagt Klay Thompson, who had 17 points against his former team. “It was incredible – 42 and the night’s defensive stop. Yes, it was incredible. Would need it bad, especially when I didn’t have my best shooting night. It’s our Point Guard, man. It was ridiculous.”

The audience at the American Airlines Center included thousands of Warriors fans, the norm in Stephen Curry era, and hundreds of people wearing Doncic jerseys. But Wednesday’s game was not destroyed by security activity in the stands like Monday, and there was no audible “Four Nico!” song.

Irving credited the audience for giving Mavs a spark. It was a necessary boost as Dallas has so many injuries that 6-foot-7 Kessler Edwards, who is on a two-way contract, started in the center.

“Whenever you are in a game like tonight and you are looking for that energy, you look into the crow , “Irving said. “And it makes a big difference to us in our home stadium. We had to protect it – our arena – and I feel like our fans know it. We obviously have to do with something unique but at the same time we have to put our best foot forward.

Irving, who will make his ninth All-Star performance this weekend as a damage replacement for Davis, gave the crowd plenty to cheer on with a sensational shooting night.

Irving went 15-of-25 from the floor and 7-of-10 from 3-point reach, including a flurry of three 3s of 41 seconds midway through the third quarter. According to ESPN Research, Irving scored 32 of his points on disputed shots (12-of-21).

“That’s what big players do,” said Curry, who had 25 points. “They respond to all types of adversity and changes, so wild as they might be. Especially in the first half we had a few breakdowns that he was able to take advantage of. It just gives him even more life and more energy than He probably had I got into the game.

Warriors had a chance to tie or take the lead after Naji Marshalls Floater put Mavs up two with 25.2 seconds left.

Irving, who played another shy in 40 minutes, stopped by stepping in to take a fee on a Jimmy Butler drive.

“Plain and simple, if I put my body on the line, we all need,” said Irving, who has steered a swelling disk in the crucifix. For me, the same mood and feeling – no matter what it takes to win. “