"Will and the heart of a champion": Kyrie Irving credits maturity and perseverance for electric 4th quarter takeover
The Dallas Mavericks took down the LA Clippers for a second straight game to take a 2-1 series lead and Kyrie Irving's fourth-quarter explosion was a major factor in his team's win. Irving exited the locker room after the halftime break, looking like a different player.
He struggled in the first half, only going 1-for-5 from the field, with his only bucket, a two-point FG, coming early in the first quarter. The third quarter looked like it was going to be more of the same until the final 1:18 seconds.
Irving began his hot streak with a three-pointer and then followed it up with bucket after bucket and by the time the third quarter concluded, he had 10 points. He carried that momentum into the fourth, where he took over on offense. He scored ten from the field and made one free throw, giving him 21 for the night.
Overall, Irving scored 19 of his 21 in the game's final 13 or so minutes.
After the game, Irving was asked what went into his scoring explosion in the second half.
"It's the will of a champion, it's the heart of the champion," Irving said. "You gotta get out of your own way. I struggled with that as a young player, wondering when my points were gonna come, when I was gonna get involved and I think me maturing over the past few years has really taught me to just let the game come to me."
Irving also added that allowing his teammates and encouraging them to find their own game is crucial and that eventually "things will fall into the hands of the basketball gods."
Kyrie Irving definitely did his part in ensuring that his teammates were involved. Aside from his 21-point performance, the eight-time All-Star also had six assists.
At his current age, Irving is considered one of the most experienced NBA stars. He also has championship experience as he was a key member of the Cleveland Cavaliers championship team that came back from a 3-1 deficit. He also hit the three-pointer that put the Cavs up for good in the series' closing moments.
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Kyrie Irving's second-quarter performance is a complete contrast from what he did in the second half
If you were only able to catch the first half of the game, then you'd probably think that Kyrie Irving had an unremarkable Game 3.
After all, he only scored two points in the first quarter and had an even less memorable second quarter. During his nine minutes on the court in the game's second frame, Irving only attempted one FG.
He was also quiet for most of the third quarter, barely making his presence felt before hitting bucket after bucket. The Dallas Mavericks will certainly hope that his scoring burst to close out the game will become a more permanent fixture in their next contest against the LA Clippers.