The Dallas Mavericks were a couple of minutes away from getting a 3-1 lead in the series.
They allowed the Oklahoma City Thunder to storm right back late in the fourth quarter, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taking over.
They wound up losing the game by four points, and that’s despite Kyrie Irving scoring just nine points.
That’s why, following the loss, the former NBA champion didn’t want his teammates to panic.
He sent a blunt and straightforward message: “Don’t panic, stay poised” (via Joey Mistretta and ClutchPoints).
“Don’t panic… Stay poised.”
Playoff veteran Kyrie Irving on what the Mavs need to do to reclaim series against the Thunder 💪
(via @JoeyMistretta_) pic.twitter.com/HQ42LMDiFn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 14, 2024
Irving and Luka Doncic combined for 27 points, so this is a game that was right there and up for grabs.
The series will now head back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, and Jason Kidd’s team will need Irving to be way more aggressive.
He’s only gone to the line a combined two times in the past two games, and he’s scored nine points twice in four games this series.
Doncic is struggling with an injured knee, and you can tell he’s having a tough time shaking the pain off.
Irving is one of the most talented players this game has ever seen, and he could go off for 40+ points on any given night.
They need him to be way more assertive when he has the rock in his hands, and they could benefit more from his scoring than his passing at this point.
This series has been exciting and unpredictable but even despite the recent loss, the Mavs should feel pretty confident about their chances going forward.
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Former Player Says 1 NBA Star Is ‘Deferring’ Too Much In Playoffs
