Dallas succumbs to Kyrie Irving’s return to the court

Llights and shadows for the Dallas Mavericks in his first game of the year 2024. On the one hand, They celebrated the return of Kyrie Irvingabsent for 12 games due to injury, but in sports they could not have started worse, with a beating in Utah, 127-90 and, above all, a weak image inappropriate for a team that aspires to great things this season.

Irving had been out for 12 games. At that time the Mavs had a record of 6-6 and the point guard’s arrival was expected like rain in May. He contributed 14 points in the game in Salt Lake City in addition to 9 rebounds and 4 assists in 32 minutes of play. I already confirmed Jason Kidd that Irving will have no restrictions of minutes upon his return to the slopes.

The game for Dallas soon went uphill and the Jazz handled it much better. They were ahead all the time and even they allowed themselves a 34-11 in the last quarter to cement the beating of the Texan team.

The loss for the Mavs is the second in eight meetings against the Jazz and the third in his last four games in the championshipin addition to being one of the worst games of the season for Luka Doncic.

The Slovenian was not good at all. finished with 19 points, which is his third worst score of the campaign, and the lowest since 16 on November 15. Luka had an erratic game with 6 of 20 in field goals, including 3 of 13 in triples, and four turnovers. Even so, he approached the triple-double by adding 14 assists and 6 rebounds.

The one who lived a magical night in Salt Lake City was Jordan Clarkson. The one from the Jazz achieved the first triple-double of his career with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, which is also the Jazz’s first TD since Carlos Boozer achieved it in 2008, and the first of the franchise in 40 years of a player coming off the bench since Mark Eaton’s 12 points, 14 rebounds and 12 blocks on February 5, 1983.

For Clarkson, the achievement comes in his 685th game in the regular league and the 728th overall of his career. Against the Mavs, in addition to Clarkson’s global recital, Simone Fontecchio lights up with 24 points and Lauri Markkanen He added 17 for the Jazz who have won four straight at home, eight of their last 11, and who have avenged a 50-0 loss to Dallas in December.

The Suns have become accustomed to winning and They already have four wins in a rowand the latter without its ‘Big Three’. Bradley Beal He commanded the actions in Arizona for the locals’ 109-88 victory over Portland, showing that he has taken a step forward. Booker was not very inspired but added 10 pointsand the one who missed it was Kevin Durant.

KD did not take the court due to a hamstring problem “nothing serious to finish the game on Sunday but something more serious to not play today,” commented coach Frank Vogel.

Without Durant it was Beal, who already arouses admiration in Phoenix, who pulled the car: “It changes everything. His presence makes us better, it’s that simple.. We depend on him,” center Jusuf Nurkic said about his teammate.

And if the Knicks opened with a victory, and a brilliant one at that, the first game of AND Anunoby In the Big Apple, the Raptors, the team with which the operation was carried out, also celebrated by winning the arrival of their new tenants.

RJ Barrett he excelled with 19 points and 9 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley He added 14 in Toronto’s 124-121 victory over Cleveland. Barret, born in Toronto, received a more than resounding reception from the 19,800 fans present in the stadium. ““It’s very special to be here.”Barrett said about his first game defending the jersey of the team from the city where he was born.