Kyrie Irving had just routed the LA Clippers by 30 points. His Dallas Mavericks were one win away from the Western Conference semifinals. But the question made him momentarily ponder an alternate reality. Did he seriously consider reuniting with LeBron James in this very building last season? “Everything was considered,” Irving told FOX Sports after Game 5 on Wednesday in Los Angeles, flashing a smile. James is currently watching the playoffs from his couch after his Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in their first-round playoff series Monday. Surely, he could have used Irving’s help. “He’s a great friend of mine, a great brother of mine,” Irving told FOX Sports. “We obviously played together [in Cleveland]. Everybody knows our history. But there were so many different factors in between. When it comes to business decisions, you have to ask the GMs, the presidents why certain things didn’t work out.”
Source: FoxSports.com
Source: FoxSports.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Early, as usual. If you ever wonder how Irving makes all of those crazy finishes, they’re not as crazy when you visualize and practice them. pic.twitter.com/gmFtJnPQ3a – 6:34 PM
Early, as usual. If you ever wonder how Irving makes all of those crazy finishes, they’re not as crazy when you visualize and practice them. pic.twitter.com/gmFtJnPQ3a – 6:34 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“I want to see this magician up and close in personal”
🏀 @adaniels33 explains why Kyrie Irving is must see TV #OneforDallas #NBAPlayoffs
Hear Mavericks-Clippers Game 6 tonight at 9:30 PM ET on NBA Radio sxm.app.link/nbaradiolive pic.twitter.com/CrGAswisvy – 5:00 PM
“I want to see this magician up and close in personal”
🏀 @adaniels33 explains why Kyrie Irving is must see TV #OneforDallas #NBAPlayoffs
Hear Mavericks-Clippers Game 6 tonight at 9:30 PM ET on NBA Radio sxm.app.link/nbaradiolive pic.twitter.com/CrGAswisvy – 5:00 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Exclusive: Kyrie Irving made it clear he’s very happy in Dallas. But when asked about reuniting with LeBron James last season, he didn’t hold back.
“It’s hard to think of the what-ifs, the allure, the thoughts of it. Yeah, it was fun to think about it.”
foxsports.com/stories/nba/ky… – 2:43 PM
Exclusive: Kyrie Irving made it clear he’s very happy in Dallas. But when asked about reuniting with LeBron James last season, he didn’t hold back.
“It’s hard to think of the what-ifs, the allure, the thoughts of it. Yeah, it was fun to think about it.”
foxsports.com/stories/nba/ky… – 2:43 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Exclusive: Kyrie Irving made it clear he’s very happy in Dallas. But when asked about the potential of reuniting with LeBron James last season, he didn’t hold back.
“It’s hard to think of the what-ifs, the allure, the thoughts of it. Yeah, it was fun to think about it.”… – 2:38 PM
Exclusive: Kyrie Irving made it clear he’s very happy in Dallas. But when asked about the potential of reuniting with LeBron James last season, he didn’t hold back.
“It’s hard to think of the what-ifs, the allure, the thoughts of it. Yeah, it was fun to think about it.”… – 2:38 PM
Mark Followill @MFollowill
Mavs player rankings of note in the playoffs:
Luka – 30.2 ppg (5th) & 8.8 apg (T-4th)
Kyrie – 18.4 2nd half ppg (2nd), 4.6 fast break PPG (5th),
& 1.8 stls/gm (T-5th)
Maxi – 3pt%, 60% (T-1st)
Jones Jr – 1.8 blks/gm (T-3rd)
PJ – 2.8 stls + blks/gm (6th)
Lively – 14 Dunks (1st) – 1:01 PM
Mavs player rankings of note in the playoffs:
Luka – 30.2 ppg (5th) & 8.8 apg (T-4th)
Kyrie – 18.4 2nd half ppg (2nd), 4.6 fast break PPG (5th),
& 1.8 stls/gm (T-5th)
Maxi – 3pt%, 60% (T-1st)
Jones Jr – 1.8 blks/gm (T-3rd)
PJ – 2.8 stls + blks/gm (6th)
Lively – 14 Dunks (1st) – 1:01 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
The Mavs are on the brink of reaching the second round of the playoffs. So are the Stars. In the immortal words of Austin Powers, can we get a little crossed-mojonation going? One hot team can feed off the other. The vibe can transfuse, to use one of Kyrie Irving’s fave terms. – 12:28 PM
The Mavs are on the brink of reaching the second round of the playoffs. So are the Stars. In the immortal words of Austin Powers, can we get a little crossed-mojonation going? One hot team can feed off the other. The vibe can transfuse, to use one of Kyrie Irving’s fave terms. – 12:28 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Exclusive for @FOXSports: I spoke with Kyrie Irving about how seriously he considered reuniting with LeBron James
foxsports.com/stories/nba/ky… – 12:27 PM
Exclusive for @FOXSports: I spoke with Kyrie Irving about how seriously he considered reuniting with LeBron James
foxsports.com/stories/nba/ky… – 12:27 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Fun fact: Tonight is Kyrie’s first Game 6 since the 2016 Finals. pic.twitter.com/IKHhyNZfix – 11:58 AM
Fun fact: Tonight is Kyrie’s first Game 6 since the 2016 Finals. pic.twitter.com/IKHhyNZfix – 11:58 AM
Mike Curtis @MikeACurtis2
Jason Kidd’s decision to draw up a play for Kyrie Irving on the first possession of Game 5 set an intentional tone.
“I think it sends a very direct message, not only to my teammates and me, but to the other team that we see a mismatch out there.”dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 5:58 PM
Jason Kidd’s decision to draw up a play for Kyrie Irving on the first possession of Game 5 set an intentional tone.
“I think it sends a very direct message, not only to my teammates and me, but to the other team that we see a mismatch out there.”dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 5:58 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
From @MikeACurtis2:
Earlier impacts from Kyrie Irving have Dallas Mavericks on doorstep of second round dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 5:56 PM
From @MikeACurtis2:
Earlier impacts from Kyrie Irving have Dallas Mavericks on doorstep of second round dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 5:56 PM
Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
I was not about to let the day go by without acknowledging the outstanding LEADER that @KyrieIrving has been for the @dallasmavs this Postseason!!! Carry on… pic.twitter.com/s7jXw4zRQd – 5:10 PM
I was not about to let the day go by without acknowledging the outstanding LEADER that @KyrieIrving has been for the @dallasmavs this Postseason!!! Carry on… pic.twitter.com/s7jXw4zRQd – 5:10 PM
More on this storyline
But when Irving was traded to the Mavericks, he wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity. Irving was tantalized by Luka Dončić, whom he had long admired but hardly knew, a dynamically opposed reality than he would’ve had if he had joined the Lakers and slid back into his well-established rapport with James. “Initially, I knew that [me and Luka] were going to have some growing pains,” Irving told FOX Sports. “But I just came with the best intentions. It was the first time for me getting traded midseason and having to pick my family up, transition. But I’ve alway respected Luka. “We had different times that we got a chance to talk at All-Star weekend. He was a younger player, so I knew of him. But I also knew he was a killer on the court. And I knew what I could expect when we were both healthy. I went in with a great belief that this could really work.” -via FoxSports.com / May 3, 2024
The day after James made that comment, Irving was dealt to the Mavericks in a blockbuster deal, a situation that’s seemingly working out for the 32-year-old guard this season, but not so much for the 39-year-old face of the league, who has been unable to claw his way back to the Finals in four years. “I know I can speak for myself that I’m grateful someone took a chance on me,” Irving told FOX Sports. “Dallas welcomed me with open arms. For me, it wasn’t time to think about the ‘what ifs.’ It was time for me to put my best foot forward. That’s what I did. It’s hard to think of the ‘what ifs,’ the allure, the thoughts of it.” -via FoxSports.com / May 3, 2024
ClutchPoints: “Defense is a part of the game of basketball. If you study the game enough, you understand that some of the greatest players in history have done it on both ends of the floor. I’m just trying to get my name up with those guys.” Kyrie Irving on his defense on James Harden in Game 5. (via @TomerAzarly )pic.twitter.com/DNudxHYRcQ -via Twitter @ClutchPointsApp / May 2, 2024
