Mavs Star Kyrie Irving Feels “Awkward As Sh*t” Playing Against The Former Teammate Luka Doncic

Kyrie Irving reflects on playing against his former teammate, Luka Doncic
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic (Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

The Dallas Mavericks shocked the entire NBA community on February 2, 2025, by trading their star player, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal. This trade ended the Mavericks’ dynamic duo of Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

The Lakers recently faced the Mavericks in an intense game at Crypto.com Arena. This matchup marked the first time Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic played against each other since Doncic’s trade. During the post-game interview, Irving reflected on his experience playing against the Slovenian basketball player.

“It was awkward, but now I can talk about the emotions. It was awkward, but at the same time it was fun. We got a chance to feel like we were in practice all over again going at each other. That was a good reflection point. And then just seeing the crowd cheer for him and just get him going and see him make some of the tough shots that I’ve seen him make thousands of times. That probably made it even more awkward. But it was fun. It was fun competing.” Irving said.

Irving and Doncic spent considerable time together on the court while playing for the Mavericks. When Irving joined the team on February 6, 2023, many questioned whether he would fit in. However, alongside Doncic, he helped lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately, they lost to the Boston Celtics in the Finals.

Mavericks Head Coach Reflects On Luka Doncic’s Performance After The Game

Doncic delivered an outstanding performance for fans in the much-anticipated game between the Lakers and the Mavericks. The Slovenian basketball player played for 35 minutes and recorded a triple-double, scoring 19 points, providing 12 assists, and grabbing 15 rebounds. His amazing efforts led the Lakers to a 107-99 win against the Mavericks. After the game, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd reflected on Doncic’s remarkable performance.

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“I thought he picked his spots, he was able to find his teammates, he was Luka. He drove it, he made plays, and then also finished. He probably had some looks that normally goes down for him. But he fills up the stat sheet like no other player. He found his teammates and his teammates delivered tonight.” Kidd said.

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The Lakers currently sit in the 4th spot in the Western Conference standings with a 35-21 record in the 2024-25 NBA season. They will play their next game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena.