Irving, Doncic help Mavs floor Philly
PHILADELPHIA — Kyrie Irving returned from a six-game absence because of a sprained thumb and led Dallas to a much-needed win. It also served as a warmup for what was ahead — a return to Brooklyn, where injuries and controversies led to a tumultuous tenure with the Nets.
Irving had 23 points and eight assists, while Luka Doncic scored 19 points in one of the duo’s rare games together to lead the Mavericks past the Philadelphia 76ers 118-102 on Monday night.
Up next, a Tuesday fixture at Brooklyn.
Irving was dealt to Dallas about a year ago in a move that ended the ill-fated attempt by Brooklyn to team him with James Harden and Kevin Durant. Durant, Irving and Harden played just 16 games together, winning one playoff series.
Irving refused to get the COVID19 vaccine — a decision that forced him to sit out most home games under a New York City mandate — and infamously tweeted a link to an anti-Semitic film. He played only 143 regular-season games in three-and-a-half seasons with the Nets.
“I don’t know if it’s just a fan thing or media thing, asking us how we feel about going back to our former teams,” Irving said. “We’re one big conglomerate. It’s one league. Obviously, there’s history there with certain teams. There’s a competitive edge that you have going into these games. It’s not uncommon. It’s been happening for years in the league, guys play their other teams.”
Doncic and Irving have both missed games with injuries this season for Dallas, which entered eighth in the Western Conference and surely needs the duo to stay in the lineup to have any shot at a deep playoff run. Irving and Doncic played together for just the 23rd time in the Mavericks’ 50 games.
Irving got to sit out most of the fourth quarter after the Mavericks scored on 10 straight possessions in the period. Irving had time to reflect on what his Brooklyn return might — or might not — mean to him.
“Excitement, because I get to go back and play in Barclays (Center),” Irving said. “Outside of that, it’s nothing deeper to get into.”
Josh Green scored 20 points for the Mavericks.
The Sixers know the value of having an MVP in the lineup. They dropped to 4-11 this season without two-time scoring champion Joel Embiid, who’s set for surgery this week to address an injury to the lateral meniscus in his left knee.
Tobias Harris, Kelly Oubre Jr and Tyrese Maxey gamely tried to fill the 7-footer’s void and helped give the Sixers a four-point halftime lead.
Philly had little hope of maintaining that advantage. Irving made 5 of 6 shots in the third and scored 11 points. Doncic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer for a 72-70 lead, and Irving hit a pair of running jumpers that helped Dallas pull away and snap a two-game losing streak.
The Mavericks blew the game open in the fourth and led by 20. They finished 17 of 43 from 3-point range.
Oubre scored 19 points, Harris had 17 and Maxey 15 for the Sixers, who scored just 17 points in the third quarter.
“I don’t want to make excuses,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “Some of those guys are out there, not even close to 100 percent, and they’re trying their best. They’re just running out of gas because of so much illness and stuff they’re coming out of.”
Hawks clipped
Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, as the Los Angeles Clippers finished off a long road trip in style with a 149-144 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
James Harden had 30 points and 10 assists, and Paul George scored 18 for Los Angeles.
Trae Young, the Eastern Conference player of the week, had 25 points and De’Andre Hunter matched a season high with 27 off the bench for the Hawks, who had won four in a row.
The Clippers went 6-1 on a 13-day road trip, and improved to 26-5 since Nov 30. They won at Miami on Sunday, the front end of this back-to-back.
“To go 6-1 against the caliber of teams we played on this trip, coming into it, we knew tonight was going to be tough,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “We got down early in the second half and continued fighting. It was a total team effort.”
Los Angeles shot 60 percent from 3-point range, while the Hawks finished at 51.3 percent. The 149 points were the Clippers’ second-most of the season. They only turned the ball over seven times.
“Taking care of the basketball has always been key for us,” Lue said. “We are too good offensively to turn it over. If we get shots up, we’re going to be pretty good.”
Leonard, the Western Conference player of the week, spurred an 8-2 burst with under 2:30 to play, hitting a 3-pointer, converting a three-point play and assisting on a layup. The run gave the Clippers a 139-130 lead.
After three free throws by Young, Harden banked in a 3 while being fouled and stretched the lead to 142-133 with 1:06 left.