Kyrie Irving Offers to Cover Fines After Mavericks-Suns Altercation: “It’s Part of Basketball Sometimes”
Friday night’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns wasn’t just about basketball – it was about team unity, physicality, and standing up for one another. In a gritty 98-89 win, the Mavericks proved their resilience on the court, but the biggest talking point emerged from a heated third-quarter altercation that resulted in three ejections.
The incident erupted after Suns center Jusuf Nurkić was called for an offensive foul, elbowing Mavericks center Daniel Gafford in the face. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall took exception to the play, confronting Nurkić. Nurkić responded with a slap to Marshall’s head, leading Marshall to retaliate with a swing. P.J. Washington quickly stepped in, shoving Nurkić to the ground.
Following a video review, Nurkić, Marshall, and Washington were all ejected.
Kyrie Irving Offers Support After Altercation
Kyrie Irving made it clear that his teammates’ actions were justified, even offering to pay their fines if they received any from the NBA.
“I was a little confused, it happened so quickly,” Irving said. “Moments like that, you just want everybody to be protecting themselves. I felt like that’s what P.J. was doing for Naji. After he got hit, he was just protecting himself. If we’re out on the street, you got to protect yourself. You got to put your hands up and at least swing back. So, I’ll take care of it, it’s fine. Whoever’s watching, P.J.’s fine, no objections. Yeah, throw that shit under the rug, man. Excuse my language. It’s part of basketball sometimes.”
Despite losing two key players to ejection, the Mavericks maintained their composure, extending their lead to 70-52 shortly after the incident and controlling the momentum for the remainder of the game. Irving’s 20 points played an important role in Dallas getting the victory.
“It might as well be the old NBA where you just have to grind it out,” Irving added. “You have to take the will of the other team and make sure they don’t make a run towards the end of the game. Which they had an opportunity to do but we stayed on them.”
Reflecting on the altercation, Irving took a lighthearted approach to the prospect of fines, even joking about the state of NBA ratings.
“I haven’t seen it, so maybe that’s just the way we end 2024, where somebody actually swings in the NBA,” Irving said. “Maybe that’ll help our ratings. I don’t know.”
Dallas Mavericks Close it Out
Head coach Jason Kidd praised the team’s response to the altercation, acknowledging his players were defending each other.
“I thought it was just guys protecting each other,” Kidd said. “Emotions can run high in this game. But I was proud to see our guys stand up for one another. We were already without Luka, and losing P.J. and Naji made it even tougher. But this was a great team win.”
The Mavericks’ defense was key to holding off a Suns team led by Kevin Durant, who scored 35 points. Phoenix shot just 38.6% from the field, with Bradley Beal contributing 11 points on an inefficient 5-of-18 shooting night.
“We couldn’t put the ball in the hoop efficiently some possessions, but I like the quality of shots and quality of looks,” Irving said. “A lot of guys were scoring in double figures. When everybody eats like that, we are tough to defend. You know, defense is where our identity starts. We just try to make sure we stay consistent on it and stay communicative and make sure that other teams feel our physicality. A lot of guys don’t like the physicality when it is done to them. Got to make sure we hit first.”
Maxi Kleber, who stepped up without Washington and Marshall, credited the team’s defensive unity after he scored a season-high 15 points.
“I think we were all on the same page when it comes to trapping, rotations, and doing the little things,” Kleber said. “Nobody really slipped up. For the most part, we were consistent, and that’s a big key for us to win against a good team like that.”
Kyrie Irving’s Full Commitment
The Mavericks continue their road trip Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers. When asked if he plans to play on the second night of a back-to-back, Irving didn’t hesitate.
“For sure, bro. We can’t drop any games,” Irving said. “This part of the season is where teams start to separate or fall behind.”
With Dončić expected to miss time and Lively’s status unclear, though he traveled with the team, the Mavericks must submit an injury report by 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, which will provide more clarity.
The Mavericks’ ability to rally around their depth and each other will be crucial moving forward as they stand 20-11 after defeating the Suns. Dallas is expected to be without Dončić for a month or longer as he recovers from injury.
Friday’s win showcased Dallas’s defensive identity and reinforced the bond between its players – a bond that Irving is clearly willing to pay for, if necessary.
