‘My Legs Underneath Me’: Kyrie Irving, Dusty May Break Down Dallas Mavericks’ Final Possession In 112-111 Loss To San Antonio Spurs
SAN ANTONIO — Out of a timeout with 24.2 seconds left and down 112-111, the Dallas Mavericks ran a play for Kyrie Irving to drive middle against De’Aaron Fox with Cooper Flagg cutting from the corner. Irving’s 15-foot turnaround jumper missed with 2.5 seconds left, and Dylan Harper grabbed the rebound as the San Antonio Spurs held on Wednesday night at Frost Bank Center.
Irving had 29 points on 9-of-27 shooting. Dallas outscored San Antonio 60-44 in the second half after trailing 68-51 at halftime.
“I think we had a play called. We talked about it after the game as well, just in terms of the timing of it and just knowing time to score and just what everybody’s comfortable with,” Irving said. “I’m truly grateful to have the confidence from my teammates, and I have the most confidence in myself to be able to make some tough shots down the stretch. But it was a great play call for me to at least create an advantage and take a shot at least going to the rim.”
“And I got a good look at it, but I just didn’t have my legs underneath me as well. And Fox did a great job of bumping me off my spot,” Irving continued. “And that’s just sometimes the tale of the game.”
Dusty May Says Dallas Mavericks Attacked A Little Too Late
The possession before the timeout started with Dallas tied. Naji Marshall hit a three-pointer off a Flagg pass to make it 111-111 with 1:41 left, then blocked a Fox jumper, but Devin Vassell stole Marshall’s pass at 1:24. Victor Wembanyama missed a 31-foot three-pointer, and Irving missed from 27 feet with 43.3 seconds left. Stephon Castle rebounded, and P.J. Washington fouled Wembanyama with 24.2 seconds left. Wembanyama missed the first free throw and made the second.
Mavericks coach Dusty May wanted to give Irving a double gap with Fox guarding him. Dallas had an advantage in space, May said, and probably attacked a little bit too late.
“I just wanted to give him a double gap. We had Fox on him and wanted to get a drive middle and Coop cutting from the corner,” May said. “Just felt like we had an advantage in space and probably attacked a little bit too late.”
Dallas inbounded with 24.2 seconds left. Irving’s shot went up with 2.5 seconds remaining.
“We went into it a little bit too late,” May explained.
May also pointed to the open-court turnover at 1:24, which came right after Marshall’s block, as one of the biggest plays of the finish.
“The open-court turnover was big. That was an opportunity for us after, I think, we turned them over,” May said. “We had an opportunity there, and they made a great play to sprint back and make a play on the ball.”
Kyrie Irving Credits De’Aaron Fox For Defense On Final Shot
Irving scored 2 points on 1-of-5 shooting in the fourth quarter. His driving floater with 2:30 left cut the deficit to 109-108, and he missed three-pointers at 1:58 and with 43.3 seconds left before the final jumper.
Fox finished with 10 points and 4 assists and was plus-12 in 32:48. He had 2 points and 2 assists in the fourth quarter.
“Just growing pains, just call it growing pains down the stretch. I had a great chance to be able to beat Fox going right,” Irving said. “And like I said, you got to give Fox credit in terms of how he bodied me and forced me into a tough shot. And just moving down the line as a competitor, I just got to make sure I make it.”
Dallas committed 8 turnovers, and Marshall’s at 1:24 was its only one of the fourth quarter.
“It really came down to our effort and guys being ready to play, coming off the bench and giving us some firepower. So it was a team game tonight that we definitely feel like we can improve from,” Irving said. “But again, just down the stretch, just got to be a little better with the basketball, and it starts with me.”
The loss dropped Dallas to 4-4. The Mavericks host the Utah Jazz on Friday at American Airlines Center at 7 p.m. CT.
