A lefty hook shot around the free throw line, over Nikola Jokic, beats the defending champions on the buzzer. Kyrie Irving added finesse to what looked like an absolute Hail Mary attempt had it been from any other player in the league. As a result, the Dallas Mavericks, inbounding the ball with nearly 3 seconds left, won the game 107-105. Notably, Irving builds on his repertoire of closing out games, which has also resonated with Andre Iguodala.
Kyrie’s dagger sent shockwaves into the basketball world, as the Denver Nuggets roster held their hand to their faces. The same sentiments riveted across the arena, as his Dallas teammates were seen equally shocked.
As the moment transpired, several NBA superstars resorted to social media to voice their emphatic reactions. Damian Lillard called Kyrie “the most skilled” closer ever. Coming from Lillard, whose long step back over Paul George in 2019 continues to make noise half a decade later, seems like a crowning.
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Kyrie the most skilled mf ever bra…
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) March 17, 2024
Trae Young, one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, also joined in. The guard, while commentating on Irving’s game-winner, put his anticipation on display.
Kai with the Left! Crazzy finish!!
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) March 17, 2024
Moreover, Jalen Brunson also added to the hype. Brunson is currently having a gala time of his own on the court. The 6’2 New York Knicks guard recently notched his first back-to-back 40-point games, adding his name to some of New York’s finest players in franchise history.
Kyrie that is sooooooo tough
— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) March 17, 2024
LeBron James, reposting Irving’s highlight, wrote “That’s FREAKING INSANE. You are SICK!!!!” while tagging his ex-teammate.
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Iguodala, in a recent interview, claimed that he feared Kyrie Irving the most when the game hung on the line. While Iggy’s comments sparked mixed reactions from fans, Kye’s game-winner solidifies the veteran’s remarks.
Stephen Curry vs Kyrie Irving 4th quarter points
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One of the biggest indicators of the ‘clutch gene’ in a player is their ability to take over the game in the last stretch. In the modern NBA, Steph, through his blazing long rangers, and Kyrie, through his razzle-dazzle, emerge as the top candidates.
With that, when looking back at their 4th quarter performances, Kyrie Irving edges out Stephen Curry with 142 points; that too in fewer games since the 2014-15 season.
Irving averages 6.5 points with 46.3% shooting (34.1% from three) for a total of 3140 points in the fourth. On the other hand, Steph, through 5.7 points on a 46.6% clip (40.3% on threes) lodges 2998 points in the same stretch. However, this is just one aspect of the versatile scoring of the two of the best guards in the modern NBA.
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Read More – Kyrie Irving Game Winner: Former NBA Champions Point Out Just How Absurd Clutch Buzzer-Beater Is
Luckily, there are plenty of games to decode the best closer amongst them. Until then, as we enjoy the journey, which game-winner of the two hits close to home for you?