The return of the steady Kyrie Irving could keep the Mavericks afloat for scary stretches

With their heads well above water at six games over .500, it’s not as if the reigning Western Conference champion Mavericks were in dire need of a lifeguard.

But with six losses in their last eight games, the Mavericks were losing momentum, so they were thankful for Tuesday night’s return of Kyrie Irving as they hosted Denver at the American Airlines Center for the second time in three nights.

With Luka Doncic missing his 10th straight game with a strained left calf and expected to remain out through at least the end of January, Irving is Dallas’ best chance to stay afloat in the Western Conference amid a roaring rapids.

The Mavericks entered Tuesday’s late national television tip-off having blown a 19-point third-quarter lead against the Nuggets two nights earlier — an event that was practically a rallying cry for the return of 32-year-old Irving and the stability that he brings.

“One of the best ball handlers in NBA history; one of the best under-the-rim finishers in NBA history,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone called Irving.

“And as any coach would attest, when you’re up and the other team is going on a run, when you have a player who can calm you down; who can get his own shot whenever he wants (that’s big).

“And how many clutch shots has Kyrie made over and over again?”

Irving had missed the past five games with a lower back strain that was initially expected to sideline him for up to two weeks.

Kidd cautioned that it will take time for Irving to play through the rust. Sure enough, the Mavericks fell behind 32-15 while Dallas lost another starter to injury.

Dereck Lively II, coming off a 14-point, 8-assist, 6-rebound performance against Nuggets and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic on Sunday, sprained his right ankle less than four minutes into Tuesday’s game and never returned.

When it rains, it rains this season for Dallas, which entered Tuesday night having lost 115 player games to injury, illness and suspension. The night the Mavericks finally got Irving back, they lost Lively for an unspecified amount of time.

The schedule doesn’t get any slower or easier, with a quick turnaround Wednesday in New Orleans. Among the nine games leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, Dallas played Oklahoma City and Boston twice apiece and at league-leading Cleveland.

At halftime Tuesday, the Mavericks trailed 71-45 and it was time to think about resting starters for the back-to-back in New Orleans.

It’s especially crucial that Dallas keeps its head above water, given the tightness that is the Western Conference standings.

Before Tuesday, the Mavericks were fifth behind fourth-place Denver, but 22-17 Dallas was also among 10 West teams with between 15 and 20 losses. Also, only 2.5 games separated fifth-place Dallas and 11th-place San Antonio.

Such is life in the Western Conference. Denver is just 18 months away from winning the NBA title, and Dallas was in the NBA Finals just six months ago.

What is the most challenging part of maintaining stamina?

“Because the teams around you don’t care,” Malone said. “If you look at the Western Conference, how deep is the Western Conference and how much parity is there within the Western Conference?”

This is Malone’s 10th season as the Nuggets head coach.

“To me, this is the deepest, most talented West has ever been,” he said. “We won a championship; team rebuilt, they knocked us out.

“Dallas went to the finals last year. The teams are regrouped, renewed. The teams have gotten better and nobody really cares about last year in this business. It’s about today. It’s about tomorrow.

“I think Dallas understands that, and when they’re fully healthy, we know what they’re capable of because they showed it last season.”

Twitter: @townbrad

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