“I wish they would respect [Kyrie Irving] and give him a couple more calls under the basket. He’s a great finisher around the rim but he’s gonna end up getting hurt because of how many guys put him on the floor,” Gafford stated.

The Mavericks have publicly campaigned for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to be voted as starters for this year’s All-Star Game.

As we mentioned earlier, Kai has already featured in the NBA All-Star game eight times in his career. While the Mavs guard is averaging 24.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, his inability to win games could dwindle his chances of making the 2025 NBA All-Star game.

The Dallas Mavericks took another step toward securing a direct NBA playoff spot with a crucial victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Following the game, Kyrie Irving reflected on his transition from the Brooklyn Nets to Dallas Mavericks,

Kyrie Irving got brutally honest on the Mavericks' brewing rivalry with the Thunder after Friday night's game.

Kyrie Irving shares his candid thoughts on the 2025 NBA All-Star voting, addressing concerns during his injury-prone season.

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.

Irving is listed on the injury report as he continues to deal with a lumbar back sprain. Meanwhile, Dereck Lively II (right ankle sprain), Luka Doncic (left calf strain) and Dante Exum (right wrist surgery) are all out for Friday's game. It is worth noting that Mavs head coach Jason Kidd previously said he expects Irving to play on Friday.

Even without important pieces like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Dereck Lively II, both teams' role players simmered the beef between the ball clubs. The usually well-mannered Thunder were hit with multiple technical fouls. PJ Washington continued to poke the bear.