Dallas Basketball

Kyrie Irving Keeps Mavs’ Playoff Hopes Alive: ‘Not Over Until It’s Over’

Kyrie Irving’s 19-point fourth quarter led the Dallas Mavericks to a must-win against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

Michael Mulford

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Most players aren’t built for the big moment or can’t handle the spotlight when the game is on the line.

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving is not one of those players.

In Wednesday’s crucial 123-119 victory over the Sacramento Kings, it was Irving’s 19 points in the fourth quarter that helped save Dallas’ season. His game-high 31-point performance included a rainbow 3-pointer from the corner to help clinch the game.

“It’s not over until it’s over,” Irving said in his postgame interview. “We just gotta put one foot in front of the other and keep maintaining the poise, mentality, and keep being there for one another and the results will come.”

Tonight’s win for the Mavericks came with their backs up against the wall, as their play-in tournament hopes were looking rather bleak beforehand. Now, Dallas and the Oklahoma City Thunder hold the same record of 38-42 with two games remaining each, but it’s the Thunder who hold the Mavericks’ destiny in their hands.

“We don’t control our own destiny but we do control our own effort right now,” Irving said.

Oklahoma City holds the tiebreaker over Dallas for the final play-in spot, so for the Mavericks to make the tournament, they must win one more game than the Thunder in the final two games.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd knows the team still has an uphill battle ahead of them in the final two games, but with a big shot maker in Irving, you have to like your chances.

“It’s just normal. It’s what he does,” Kidd said of Irving’s big shot making.

These clutch, do-or-die moments are what Irving lives to play basketball for. This is why you trade for a player like him. Perhaps this momentum can eventually translate to play-in tournament success.

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Michael Mulford
MICHAEL MULFORD

Michael Mulford is a writer/editor for Dallas Basketball, where he extensively covers the Dallas Mavericks. He also covers the Chicago Bulls as the Managing Editor for Bulls Wire of USA Today Sports Media Group. Mulford grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Event, and Sports Management. He began his pursuit of sports writing in 2017 with Dallas Sports Fanatic, where he covered the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, Texas Legends. He then became the Managing Editor of Dallas Sports Fanatic just one year later and has covered the Mavericks as a credentialed media member since 2018, including covering numerous playoff games between 2021-22 and covering the team at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in 2019. In his time covering the Mavericks, Mulford has conducted numerous interviews for exclusive stories including with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, former Maverick and current VP of Basketball Ops Michael Finley, former Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson, and more. You can follow and interact with Mulford on Twitter at @TheMulf.

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