A lot of this stems back to the 2024 playoffs when Dallas beat the top-seeded Thunder in the second round in six games, but this is becoming one of the best rivalries in the NBA, and Kyrie Irving had an up-close view of all of it.

That decision forced the Thunder to stick close to the Mavericks' role players throughout the first quarter. Once Washington scored the first five points, Irving asserted himself and drained a 3-pointer before finishing at the basket with a finger roll to give the Mavericks an early 10-0 lead.

Kyrie Irving, returning after a one-game absence due to a back sprain, delivered a strong performance with 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists. The tension on the court was palpable, with

The Dallas Mavericks will be without star guard Kyrie Irving for the next few weeks. Irving suffered a bulging disc in his back and will miss at least one to two weeks. However, there is optimism that he will be able to return after undergoing treatment. NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN reported the news.

Kyrie Irving scored 25 points as the Dallas Mavericks brought the high-flying Oklahoma City Thunder down to earth with a 106-98 victory over the Western Conference leaders on Friday.

Kyrie Irving finished the win with 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal while shooting 9/19 from the field and 3/8 from the three-point range in 39 mintues of playing time. The superstar guard also made NBA history by moving ahead of Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant (1,