USA Today via Reuters
Jan 15, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) waits for play to resume against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 15, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) waits for play to resume against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Despite observing Ramadan, Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving hasn’t missed a beat. He put up a staggering 24 points in the victory over the Denver Nuggets. The game went down to the wire. Luka Doncic’s clutch three-pointer with seconds remaining tied the score. After Denver’s missed two-point attempt, Dallas called a timeout. Irving returned to the court and delivered the game-winning shot, an incredible left-handed fadeaway, sending the American Airlines Center crowd into a frenzy. The Mavs are definitely treating their superstar right during Ramadan and it seems to be paying off in buckets.
An interesting detail came up from the Mavs’ postgame show. Brian Dameris mentioned that the Mavericks have been flying in a personal chef for Kyrie Irving. This ensures that his vegan meals are ready for him to eat once the sun goes down, as he observes Ramadan while continuing to play.
Mavericks have been flying in a personal chef for Kyrie Irving to be able to have his vegan meals ready for him to eat once the sun goes down as he observes Ramadan as he continues to play per @bdameris on the Mavs postgame show on @971TheFreak; Mavs taking care of Kyrie #MFFL
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) March 20, 2024
For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a holy month of fasting from dawn to dusk. This means abstaining from food, drink, and other activities. The day’s fast is broken with a meal at sunset (iftar) and a pre-dawn meal (suhoor) helps prepare for the coming day. In the post-game presser, Kai emphasized the spiritual significance of Ramadan, focusing on his faith and staying disciplined throughout this challenging yet rewarding time.
Fasting Fury: Kyrie
Despite observing Ramadan, Irving’s on-court performance hasn’t dipped. In fact, his averages across the entire season (25.4 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds) are impressive, and since Ramadan began, they’ve risen to 25.0 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.8 rebounds.
Irving’s one-handed floater over Nikola Jokic left fans and analysts speechless. NBA reporter Kevin O’Connor called it “one of the greatest game-winners you’ll ever see,” while Damian Lillard praised Irving’s skill with a tweet: “the most skilled mf ever bra.”
Kyrie the most skilled mf ever bra…
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) March 17, 2024
The game itself was a nail-biter. The Nuggets fought back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but Doncic’s clutch three-pointer tied it at 105-105, setting the stage for Irving’s heroics. As the buzzer sounded, Irving’s shot sealed the win for the Mavericks, sending them into a frenzy of celebration.
The Nuggets, despite the disappointing “L”, remain a force in the West with a 47-21 record. This victory pushed the Mavericks to 39-29, tying them with the Suns and Kings in the tight battle for the 6th seed.
Ramadan lasts the whole month, so stay tuned to see if Irving can keep this up. Maybe he’ll continue to channel his inner fasting fire. One thing’s for sure, the rest of the league better watch out, this Ramadan Kyrie is on a mission!
