Kyrie Irving stepped up when it mattered most, scoring 18 of his 25 points in the second half to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 103-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night. After the game, Irving spoke about the responsibility of being a late-game closer, emphasizing both the pride and pressure that comes with the role.
“A lot of pride, man, I wish it could happen every night,” Irving said, via ClutchPoints. “When it goes well, you look great. When it doesn’t go well, you kind of fall short… Tonight was definitely one of those games where it could have been a setup.”
Dallas improved to 32-28, keeping pace in the Western Conference playoff race. Charlotte, now 14-44, lost its fifth straight game and remains near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
Moses Brown, making his first start for the Mavericks, delivered 20 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes. The center, currently on a 10-day contract, recorded his highest-scoring game since 2021.
Mark Williams led the Hornets with 26 points and 16 rebounds, while Miles Bridges added 20 points and 12 boards. However, Charlotte struggled offensively, shooting just 40.8% from the field and 25.9% from three-point range.
With LaMelo Ball missing his second consecutive game due to an ankle injury, the Hornets dropped to 1-21 this season without their leading scorer and playmaker.
The Mavericks were also shorthanded, as P.J. Washington Jr. remained out with an ankle injury. Dallas’ frontcourt depth has been tested, with Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II also dealing with injuries.
Irving took control in the closing minutes, hitting eight of his final 11 shots. With under two minutes remaining, he grabbed an offensive rebound and found Klay Thompson, who buried a three-pointer to push Dallas ahead 97-91.
Thompson finished with 18 points, shooting 6-for-12 from the field with four three-pointers. His late shot helped Dallas maintain control as Charlotte failed to mount a final comeback.
The Mavericks controlled the boards, outrebounding the Hornets 56-48, and kept their turnovers to just seven. Dallas also capitalized at the free-throw line, shooting 75% compared to Charlotte’s 69.2%.
Naji Marshall struggled offensively, going 1-for-11 from the field, but contributed nine rebounds and six assists. Off the bench, Dante Exum provided a defensive spark with 12 points and four steals.
Charlotte completed a grueling nine-game road trip with just one win. Their offensive struggles persisted, as they managed only 18 points in the third quarter before falling short in the fourth.
For Irving, the win was another reminder of the responsibility he carries in clutch situations. “Just had to finish this game strong,” he said. “Charlotte is a good team… but at the same time you gotta take advantage of who is in the lineup, who is out of the lineup, and really be a mature veteran team.”
