5 things fans learned from Dallas Mavericks debut of Kyrie Irving

The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving on Sunday afternoon. He completed his physical in Dallas before joining the team in Los Angeles for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers, and Irving shined in his debut as the Mavericks picked up a 110-104 win. Kyrie finished with 24 points, four rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block in 37 minutes of action as Dallas remained undefeated since the trade.

Luka Doncic is out with a heel injury, so fans are still waiting to see the Mavericks new superstar duo in action together. Number 77 is hoping to return for one of the two games in Sacramento this weekend.

Kyrie’s debut gave fans their first glimpse at the 6’2 guard wearing a Mavericks uniform and offered plenty of takeaways of how things will change with the eight-time All-Star on the roster. Head coach Jason Kidd made it clear that this is still Luka’s team, but Irving is the best player that Doncic has ever played with. Here are five things fans learned from Kyrie’s debut.

Thing fans learned from the Dallas Mavericks debut of Kyrie Irving: 5. Solves non-Luka minutes

The Mavs were 0-7 without Luka Doncic in the lineup before trading for Kyrie Irving, and they literally went from the best offense in the NBA with number 77 on the floor to one of the worst without him. Dallas desperately needed another ball-handler, and someone that could run the show when Doncic needs a rest.

Kyrie Irving solves those issues, and that was clear from the opening tip on Wednesday night. Dallas scored 41 first-quarter points without Luka, and it was the newest Maverick that had the offense rolling.

Clippers were doubling Kyrie and trying to force the ball out of his hands, but he kept making the right play. Irving was feeding his teammates, and he lead Dallas to a key victory over the rival Clippers in his debut after just one practice with the team.

Thing fans learned from the Dallas Mavericks debut of Kyrie Irving: 4. Right side is for Kyrie

Fans know that Luka Doncic likes to work on the left side of the floor, and that is his spot when unleashing his stepback 3-pointers. Number 77 loves getting there and running the show.

Irving proved he was comfortable playing off the ball, and fans saw where the 30-year-old likes to operate. He kept getting to the right side of the floor to initiate the offense, and run his sets. Kyrie was picking the Clippers apart from there with threes and finding open teammates.

Fans who have been watching Kyrie for years know that he prefers to operate from the right side, and it will give opposing teams difficult decisions to make on every possession. Send two to Luka on the left side, and Irving will feast on the weak side. Put two on Kyrie, and Doncic will have the single coverage in the basket on the other side of the floor.

Luka was out on Wednesday night against the Clippers, but he was watching from the bench. The Mavericks superstar had this to say about his new backcourt partner when he was interviewed by ESPN after the first quarter.

Doncic is excited, and fans worried about the fit should calm down after Wednesday’s game. Kyrie played off the ball plenty, and he loves to operate from different areas on the floor than Luka.

Thing fans learned from the Dallas Mavericks debut of Kyrie Irving: 3. Off-ball movement

Luka Doncic loves to run spread pick and rolls, and just break down the defense. Often when number 77 is leading, the big man sets a screen for Luka as the other three players spot up beyond the 3-point line. The Mavs run sets, but there is not a lot of off-ball movement. It helps Doncic throw his jaw-dropping no-look passes and get some energy from the crowd.

Those screaming that the Luka and Kyrie partnership would not work out because there is only one ball were not happy if they watched Wednesday’s game. Not only was Irving playing off the ball a ton, but he brings movement away from the ball.

Irving got free multiple times by moving without the basketball and getting to a space on the floor where nobody could guard him. He could make a massive impact with his movement away from the ball. Dallas does not defend well when offenses flow and sink open shots, so they should start doing that to other people.

Irving’s first bucket as a Maverick was helped by moving without the ball and getting free in the paint. See the historic play below.

Moving without the ball is not the only thing that Kyrie Irving will help the Mavericks with, including the next item on this list.

Thing fans learned from the Dallas Mavericks debut of Kyrie Irving: 2. Play faster

The Mavs were the second-slowest team in the NBA in pace coming into Wednesday’s game. Fans know Luka Doncic likes to slow things down and pick the defense apart in the halfcourt. The 23-year-old can break down any defense, and he plays at his own pace.

Kyrie Irving likes to get out and run when he is running the show. The 30-year-old threw multiple hit-ahead passes in Los Angeles, and he got the team moving. Kyrie had the offense rolling in his first game with the Mavericks. That was in part because he helped the team increase their pace and get some easy buckets in transition.

The Mavs do not need to play fast. They will not be among the league leaders in pace with Luka Doncic on their roster, but getting a few easy buckets in transition each night makes them that much more dangerous. Kyrie loves to throw the ball ahead and run a fast break. Dallas will not do it every time, but it will be another change of pace that Dallas can use.

Expect the Dallas Mavericks’ pace to improve with Kyrie Irving on the roster. They are not vaulting toward the top of the league, but the small increase is all they need to make their offense that much better.

Thing fans learned from the Dallas Mavericks debut of Kyrie Irving: 1. Elite offense

Luka Doncic is a walking bucket, and he always puts his team in a position to be an elite offense. The Mavs superstar draws a ton of attention, but the team has been searching for ways to upgrade their roster around him. More moves could come before Thursday’s trade deadline, but they won’t have much impact on the team’s offense.

If the Mavericks are the best offense in the league with Luka on the floor, they have reached scary territory with Kyrie. Irving proved he can run the offense in his first game with the team, and things will only improve from here.

There were a few extra turnovers and the offense slowed down a bit in Kyrie’s first game. Those things will improve with reps. The Mavs are now elite no matter who is on the floor. Kyrie Irving will keep things rolling without Luka Doncic as he did on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

The Dallas Mavericks need to figure out their defense, and it will take time for them to fully mesh together. Getting Luka Doncic healthy and back on the floor is the top priority. After that, the offense should be one of the best in the league, and no team will be looking forward to facing the Mavs.

Stay tuned because the debut of the Luka and Kyrie backcourt could come as early as Friday in Sacramento against the Kings. Fans certainly won’t want to miss that.