"Always said I love beating the Knicks": Kyrie Irving reacts to Mavs' career-high 44-point explosion

Eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving has always viewed games against New York with so much significance, which is why he tries to ball with the Knicks. The one-time NBA champion had one of those nights on Thursday, helping the Dallas Mavericks chalk up a 128-124 victory.

Irving scored a Mavericks career-high 44 points.Tim Hardaway, Jr. chipped in with 32 points. He took up the cudgels for the Mavericks, who played without superstar Luka Doncic because of a right ankle sprain. The 14-year NBA veteran guard was efficient in leading Dallas’ offense.

Irving went 15-of-26 from the field for a shooting clip of 57.7% and 6-of-10 from the three. He also dished out 10 assists in 39 minutes. As per New York Post reporter Stefan Bondy on X (formerly Twitter), Irving said about the win and its significance:

"I’ve always said I love beating the Knicks, but it’s just another team on our schedule man. When I was in Brooklyn, it was definitely high intensity, and they were right down the street."

Before joining the Mavericks midway last season, Kyrie Irving spent four years with the Brooklyn Nets. Dallas play New York again in an away game on Feb. 8.

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Kyrie Irving continues stellar play with 44-point game against Knicks

Kyrie Irving continued with his recent stellar plays by scoring a Dallas Mavericks career-high 44 points in their 128-124 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday at home.

The scoring explosion marked the fifth straight game the eight-time NBA All-Star scored 24 points or more. In his last five games, where the Mavericks have gone 4-1, Irving has averaged 33.2 points.

Their latest victory over the Knicks improved their record to 23-16, good for seventh in the Western Conference.

Irving re-signed with the Mavericks in the offseason, worth $126 million to stay with the team for three more years. He said that he made it a priority to remain in Dallasm where he felt he could continue to flourish. He told ESPN after signing the new deal:

"So I took everything into account. I took my time a few days before free agency just to be with my family, gauge how they felt about being in Dallas alongside me. And everybody was excited…”

“I just wanted to be myself. And then going on the last few years, just figuring myself out. So, I think, this is the best place to do it and continue to mature and grow as a man."

This season, Kyrie Irving is averaging 23.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.3 minutes. Dallas returns to action on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans.