Mavericks star Kyrie Irving steps up at perfect time to help struggling teammate

The Dallas Mavericks have now won nine of their last ten games and six games in a row, and they are looking like one of the best teams in the NBA.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving's connection on and off the floor has been amazing to see, and everyone else around them has been stepping up as well.

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was amid a concerning slump over the last few weeks but has recently exited that slump as he clearly has gained confidence and looks much more comfortable.

Mavericks star Kyrie Irving steps up at perfect time to help struggling teammate

Washington said that his shooting slump was the worst he had shot in his entire career, but he and Jason Kidd weren't concerned at all.

Another Mavs player who was in a slump is Tim Hardaway Jr., and he played excellent against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. Hardaway Jr. dropped 22 points on 4-6 shooting from downtown while dishing out six assists.

Hardaway Jr.'s playmaking has been a significant area of growth during his slump, as he was throwing lobs, skip passes, and entry passes often. Hardaway Jr. has always been notorious for getting tunnel vision, and although he still gets it, it has seemed like it got better during his slump.

While many fans and media were doubting Hardaway Jr. during his slump, one person who didn't doubt Hardaway Jr. was Irving. Irving joined the Mavericks last season at the trade deadline, and all of his teammates have talked endlessly about how good of a person and teammate he has been since joining the Mavs.

During Irving's postgame interview on Tuesday night, Irving talked about his encouragement towards Hardaway Jr. during his slump.

Irving said that he makes sure to be an encourager to all of his teammates, and he understands how important it is to bring positivity during a rough patch. He understood how important it was to help Hardaway Jr. to get out of this slump since the playoffs are near, and he tried to "get the most out of him."

Hardaway Jr. also said that Irving encouraged him to keep shooting through this rough patch, and that type of encouragement could have been the difference in him returning to being one of Dallas' best shooters.

Dallas' next game is tomorrow against the Houston Rockets.

For all the latest on Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.