Kyrie Irving's heartfelt quote shows he could be a Dallas Maverick for life

On Thursday night, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz at home to improve to 41-29 on the year and climb into sixth place in the Western Conference.

Dallas has now won three games in a row, with their previous two wins coming against the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. The Mavs are showing that they can compete with any team in the NBA, and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are at the center of that.

Doncic and Irving are one of the most dominant duos in the NBA, and no one wants to see them once the playoffs begin. Either player can take over a game at any moment, and Dallas' defense has also been elite.

Kyrie Irving's heartfelt quote shows he could be a Dallas Maverick for life

P.J. Washington continues to shut down the other team's best player, and this team is meshing perfectly. Their chemistry was on full display against the Jazz, as they broke the franchise record for dunks in a game. Even Irving got in on the action as he caught an alley-oop from Doncic. This play got the entire arena on their feet and Doncic was ecstatic for his running mate.

Earlier this season, Irving said that he wished Dallas drafted him, and his words and actions on and off the floor continue to show that the Mavs were the perfect place for him.

After Thursday night's game, I asked Irving about how the city of Dallas and its fans have embraced him after a year of living here.

"For me, it's just getting adjusted here, getting established as one of the community leaders," Irving said. "I have my own beliefs and views, and I think being here in Dallas I've been accepted way beyond just my talent on the court. I think it's for what I represent in the broader world."

Irving then talked about how he tries to remember every fan's name that he meets, and it's clear that this may be the happiest he has ever been in his career. He had rough endings in both Brooklyn and Boston, but ever since he has been in Dallas he has been a model citizen and teammate on and off the court.

Irving is constantly giving to various charities, hosting community events (like he did recently for the release of the ANTA KAI 1 in Deep Ellum), and expressing how much he loves playing here.

Dallas returns the same love to Irving, as the fans always show their appreciation to him. The Mavs even fly in a personal chef to make meals for Irving during Ramadan. There were no stories about other teams doing this for him, and with how both sides feel about each other, Irving could be a Maverick for the rest of his career.

For all the latest on Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.