Jason Kidd, Kyrie Irving Show Love to 'Substitute Teacher' Tim Hardaway Jr. During 'Incredible Stretch'

With Luka Doncic missing the last three games, it's been Tim Hardaway Jr. who has stepped up for the Mavs to put on an absolute scoring clinic.

After falling short against an undermanned New Orleans Pelicans squad on Saturday, the Dallas Mavericks bounced back in a huge way on Monday night against the fully-healthy Pelicans behind the scoring duo of Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. Erasing a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the Mavs pulled out a 125-120 win to reach a 24-17 record at the halfway mark of the season.

Irving finished with 42 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists while Hardaway scored 41 points while knocking down nine 3-pointers, combining for only the second time in Mavs history that a duo has both scored 40 points. 

With Doncic out for the third straight game, Hardaway has stepped into the starting lineup and played huge for the Mavs.

"He's the substitute teacher right now in the starting lineup," Kidd said of Hardaway. "He's being a pro about it. We've asked him to come off the bench. We've asked him to start. We've asked him to guard Zion [Williamson]. We've asked him to guard everybody."

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In the three games without Doncic, Hardaway is averaging 32.3 points on 48.3 shooting from the field and 50 percent from downtown on 12 attempts per night. Irving, his 40-point running mate from Monday's win, praised Hardaway's recent play after the game.

"He's having an incredible stretch right now. He is making a lot of right reads. He is taking some tough shots for sure," Irving said of Hardaway. "I think he is right in his wheelhouse of allowing the work to translate into success on the court. You are watching him make a lot of opportunities for himself and be highly efficient at it. I'm happy for him.

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"He's just a pro," Kidd said of Hardaway. "This afternoon was a perfect example of that. He took his shots. He was aggressive. We need that no matter if he's starting or coming off the bench."

Whether it's filling in as a starter or being the first man off the bench, Hardaway has come to play every single night and is simply playing some of the best ball of his career. If THJ can keep up this pace for in the second half of the season, the Mavs won't just be a real playoff threat, but he will have a real chance to capture the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year trophy.

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