Photo: YouTube

Kyrie Irving believes a new rivalry is brewing between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Following Dallas’ 106-98 win on Friday night, Irving described the growing tension between the two teams as the start of a “healthy rivalry.”

“It’s personal,” Irving stated, according to Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints. “It’s the start of a healthy rivalry… They’re good, man. They were number one in the Western Conference last year. They deserved to make it to the second round and match up against us. We just got the best of them in that series.”

Irving led the Mavericks with 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists, snapping their three-game losing streak. Dallas improved to 23-19 on the season, while the Thunder, who lead the Western Conference, dropped to 34-7.

The game was marked by physicality, with Irving emphasizing that such moments are part of competitive basketball. “When pushing and shoving occurs, that’s just good NBA basketball… You gotta protect yourself,” he said.

Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington Jr. supported Irving with 16 points each, while Naji Marshall added 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The Mavericks shot 49.3% from the field and drained 16 three-pointers to secure the victory.

The Thunder struggled without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who missed his first game of the season due to a sprained wrist. Oklahoma City failed to produce a 20-point scorer for the first time this year, with Jalen Williams leading the team with 19 points and Luguentz Dort contributing 18.

Injuries added to the drama, as Dallas missed Luka Doncic for the second consecutive game due to a calf strain. Additionally, Jaden Hardy and Dwight Powell exited the game with injuries, thinning the Mavericks’ rotation even further.

The matchup highlighted the contrasting trajectories of the two teams. Oklahoma City, led by its young core, has established itself as a contender, finishing atop the Western Conference last season. Meanwhile, Dallas, fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, continues to assert itself as a perennial powerhouse.

Irving acknowledged the Thunder’s talent and the likelihood of future clashes. “There’s a lot of young guys in that locker room, so we’re gonna be seeing them a lot over the next few years,” he said.

This victory marks Dallas as the first team to beat the Thunder twice this season, a feat accomplished without Doncic in both games.