DALLAS — In a competitive matchup on Thursday night, Kyrie Irving stood out by scoring 18 of his total 25 points in the latter half and securing nine rebounds, guiding the Dallas Mavericks to a 103-96 triumph over the Charlotte Hornets.
Moses Brown, nearing the end of his 10-day contract, contributed significantly with 20 points and 11 rebounds during his 31 minutes on the court in his first start for Dallas.
For the Hornets, Mark Williams delivered an impressive performance with 26 points and 16 rebounds, although Charlotte faced their fifth defeat in a row, finding themselves losing 16 of their past 19 games. Teammate Miles Bridges also had a strong game, adding 20 points and 12 rebounds.
The Mavericks were without big men like P.J. Washington Jr., Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II due to injuries. Washington hasn’t played consistently since sustaining a sprained ankle on February 8, causing him to miss four out of the last seven games.
On the other side, Charlotte’s star, LaMelo Ball, missed his second successive game because of an ankle injury, impacting the team significantly.
Takeaways from the game revealed notable stats like Charlotte’s challenging 1-8 record over a stretch of nine continuous road games, extending a tie for the longest road trip in the franchise history. Post-All-Star break, they remain struggling without Ball, holding a 1-21 record in such scenarios.
Conversely, with a record of 32-28, the Dallas Mavericks sit at the ninth position in the Western Conference. However, they are merely one game away from securing the sixth spot for an assured playoff spot. Brown’s performance marked his highest scoring since achieving 24 points in a game for Oklahoma City at the end of the 2020-21 season.
A critical moment in the game came when Irving missed a three-pointer with Dallas ahead 94-91. Displaying quick reflexes, Irving retrieved the ball amid the scramble, passing it to Klay Thompson. Thompson’s corner three dramatically widened the lead to 97-91 with just under two minutes left.
Irving’s sharp shooting was highlighted as he successfully made eight out of his last 11 attempts.
Looking ahead, the Charlotte Hornets are set to initiate a five-game homestand against Washington on Saturday, while the Dallas Mavericks are preparing to face Milwaukee.
