ATLANTA — Kyrie Irving played a pivotal role for the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, scoring 32 points along with six assists and seven rebounds, leading the team to a 129-119 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the absence of star player Luka Doncic.
In his first start of the season, Jaden Hardy posted a personal best of 23 points for Dallas, who have secured victories in five of their last six games. Both Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie contributed significantly, each adding 22 points to the scoreboard.
Despite a slow start, where Irving only tallied 10 points by halftime while being closely guarded by Hawks’ Dyson Daniels, he found his rhythm in the second half, notably sinking five consecutive shots during a critical stretch.
Doncic missed his third consecutive game due to a right wrist strain, and his absence was felt, though Dallas managed to thrive without him. During their previous visit to Atlanta last season, Doncic famously scored 73 points.
For the Hawks, Jalen Johnson shined with 28 points and 10 rebounds, but the team struggled overall, losing four of their last five games. Trae Young contributed 18 points and provided 16 assists in the loss.
Key takeaways from the game include Dallas’s resilience despite a recent overtime defeat to the Miami Heat and a challenging 15-game stretch featuring 11 away matches. The Mavericks were also missing Klay Thompson (plantar fascia) and Quentin Grimes (illness), yet still emerged victorious.
On the other hand, the Hawks, having dealt with early-season injuries, finally had a full roster and two days off, but could not capitalize against a team managing the latter part of a back-to-back game.
A pivotal moment came in the fourth quarter when Irving scored 14 points over three minutes, propelling the Mavericks from a 104-103 deficit to a commanding 118-109 lead.
In terms of contributions, Marshall and Hardy, both late additions to the starting roster, combined for an impressive 45 points along with nine rebounds, marking a significant impact on the game’s outcome.
Looking ahead, the Hawks are set to face the league-leading Cavaliers for two games, starting with an away game in Cleveland on Wednesday, followed by a home match on Friday. Meanwhile, the Mavericks will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday.