Kyrie Irving played a pivotal role in another historic performance for the Dallas Mavericks (24-17), as he and Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for an impressive 83 points, securing a 125-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans (24-17) on Monday.
Irving’s 42-point contribution, along with Hardaway Jr.’s near career-high 41 points, showcased their dynamic scoring partnership in the absence of Luka Doncic, who missed a third consecutive game due to a sprained ankle.
The Mavericks’ history now includes two instances of a player scoring 40 or more points in a game, both times with Irving on the roster. The first occurrence featured Irving and Doncic in March.
Hardaway Jr., stepping up in Doncic’s absence, not only secured his second career 40-point game but also hit a crucial go-ahead 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. Despite briefly leaving the game with a mild ankle sprain, he returned to seal the victory.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 30 points, but his struggles at the free-throw line, going 6 of 11, included a crucial miss with 17 seconds left when a successful shot could have leveled the game.
CJ McCollum contributed 23 points for the Pelicans, who had won the first game of the two-game set despite missing key scorers.
Rookie Dereck Lively II made a notable return with 12 rebounds, including crucial offensive boards that set up key 3-pointers for Hardaway.
