Kyrie Irving delivered a dominant 42-point performance as the Dallas Mavericks secured a 111-107 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
Irving also took a crucial charge in the final seconds, preventing Jimmy Butler from tying the game. Klay Thompson added 17 points against his former team.
Dallas (29-26) entered the game without several key big men, including Anthony Davis, who remains sidelined with a groin injury. The Warriors (27-27) took advantage inside, outscoring the Mavericks 62-48 in the paint and 33-11 in second-chance points.
Despite the size disadvantage, Dallas shot 48.3% from the field and connected on 15 of 36 three-pointers, while Golden State made just 10 of 35 from deep.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 25 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting 9-of-23 from the floor and 4-of-13 from beyond the arc. Butler contributed 21 points, seven assists, and nine rebounds in his third game since joining Golden State from Miami.
The game was tied at 107 after Curry missed a free throw with 40 seconds left, an unusual miss from the league’s top free-throw shooter (93.1%). Naji Marshall then hit a six-foot floater to give Dallas a two-point edge with 25.6 seconds remaining.
On the next possession, Butler drove to the basket but was called for an offensive foul against Irving. The Warriors challenged the call, but the ruling stood after review.
Dallas retained possession and ran down the clock until Max Christie was fouled with 10.4 seconds left. He calmly made both free throws, sealing the four-point victory.
Irving’s 42 points marked his fifth consecutive game scoring at least 40. He finished 15-of-25 from the field, 7-of-10 from three, and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.
Thompson, who won four championships with the Warriors before joining Dallas this season, shot 6-of-19 and hit five three-pointers. Christie added 17 points, including the game-sealing free throws.
Naji Marshall provided 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while rookie Brandon Williams chipped in 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting in limited minutes.
Golden State’s bench provided a spark, with Gary Payton II scoring 14 points and Moses Moody adding 14 of his own. However, Buddy Hield struggled, managing just three points on 1-of-9 shooting.
Quinten Post, making a rare start for Golden State, contributed five points and four rebounds in 12 minutes. Kevon Looney had a team-high eight rebounds but played just 15 minutes.
With the win, the Mavericks maintained their position in the Western Conference playoff race, sitting in eighth place. Golden State remains in 10th, clinging to the final Play-In Tournament spot.
