Kyrie Irving's Honest Statement After Mavericks vs Pelicans

The nine-time all-star shared some postgame thoughts after the Mavericks win over the Pelicans.

Feb 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks to pass the ball over Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans fell to the Dallas Mavericks 111-103 on Friday night on the road.

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 35 points to lead Dallas to the victory. Irving has scored at least 30 points in three straight games, which the Mavericks have needed since the team traded superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dallas is dealing with a multitude of injuries to its frontcourt, including newly acquired forward Anthony Davis, center Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford. The Mavericks are looking to return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Boston Celtics last year. Irving spoke to reporters postgame about the team's mindset after the all-star break.

Kyrie Irving speaks on the mindset shift the season after the first game post All-Star break. pic.twitter.com/nceGSQIwlu

— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) February 22, 2025

"Timing of the season, it means something. We're trying to get a playoff position that matters, so we have something to play for. We don't want to add too much pressure; we want to have fun, but we know where we are in the season."

Irving knows what it takes to win at the highest level in this league. The 9-time all-star has made four NBA Finals appearances, including winning an NBA championship as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving is averaging 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists for the 31-26 Mavericks this season.

Yves rejection ➡️ Z lay pic.twitter.com/SRlcSIc7Qy

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 22, 2025

Meanwhile, Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 29 points in the loss despite playing less than 30 minutes again. The Pelicans have not played Zion more than 30 minutes in any game since the two-time all-star returned from injury in January. New Orleans has the worst record in the Western Conference.

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