SALT LAKE CITY – Kyrie Irving admitted to sort of tiptoeing back into action Monday night against the Utah Jazz.
After missing 12 games with a heel bruise, half of which the Mavericks won, his primary goals were to get his legs back under him and not mess anything up.
“I didn’t want to come back and step on anyone’s toes for my first game back,” he said after scoring 14 points, grabbing nine rebounds and handing out four assists in 32 minutes of work in the 127-90 blowout loss to the Jazz. “Just wanted to get a good feel going up and down and see how my heel feels and work through the mental side of things of being away from the game.
“I was excited to get back out there. It was a long time coming the last few weeks just trying to ease my way back into the flow of things. We’ve been playing well. I feel like we’ve dropped some games we could have won. But we’re in a good spot right now.”
The 1-2 trip that spanned two years and three time zones ended with a dud. But the Mavericks are 19-15 coming into their season-long seven game home stand that begins Wednesday with the first of two matches against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“It’s much-needed,” Irving said. “We’ve had a unique (start) to our season. To be 19-15 at this point, I’m happy about where we are. Not satisfied. We’ll see what the next few weeks bring as we get to play in front of our fans.”
Irving described one of the first plays of the game as a reminder that no matter what players do when they are injured and trying to stay in condition, it’s nothing to what they face during the heat of battle during games.
“It’s a mental battle at this point, having some time off and the first foul I got , (Simone) Fontecchio came directly at my chest and it just reminds you that this is a physical, combative game,” Irving said. “It’s one thing playing pickup with the guys. It’s a whole other thing when the game is on the line.”
The person who should be happiest to have Irving back is Luka Dončić. He rolled up massive minutes in the 12 games Irving was out, even though he was held out of two games as he tended to a sore quadriceps muscle.
As for Irving’s first game back, Dončić said: “Great. Obviously, we wanted to win, but the first game back is always tough. Everybody relaxed a little bit because we got Kai on the court. But obviously, everybody’s happy he’s back.”
Here’s a few other takeaways from the 37-point loss Monday night.
UTAH “D” GOT THE BEST OF MAVS: Hopefully, nobody else in the NBA was watching the Mavericks’ game against the Jazz, who put on a defensive clinic, particularly after halftime, when the Mavericks could muster just 35 points. “In the second half, they went to the zone all the time and that was a big change for us,” Dončić said. “They played amazing defense.” It wasn’t like the Mavericks were bundles of energy all night. They had a lackluster game, pure and simple. “We were flat,” coach Jason Kidd said. “And we tried everybody. Getting someone back, the excitement, we just couldn’t get in a rhythm. And give Utah credit. The zone, the box-and-one, we knew they were coming, we just didn’t execute or capitalize on them.”
DISAPPEARING ACT: The simple fact is that the Mavericks were engaged in a six-point game late in the third quarter. It was 81-75 and the Jazz fans were getting restless. But the fourth quarter will not end up on any teaching films for Jason Kidd in the future, unless they are labeled “Don’t Let This Happen To You.” The Mavericks simply didn’t show up in the final 12 minutes. They hit just 5-of-22 from the field and 1-of-8 from three-point range while getting outscored by 23. “They scored 34 points in the fourth quarter to our 11,” Irving said. “You’re not going to win many NBA games playing that poorly. We’ll just take our licks.”
LONG TIME COMING: It had been 5,800 days since the Utah Jazz last had a triple-double. Jordan Clarkson ended that drought with his 10th rebounds late in the fourth quarter to finish with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. The last Jazz player to achieve the feat? Carlos Boozer in 2008. Remember, Luka alone has 62 triple-doubles in just six NBA seasons. “Wow, so it was a big deal tonight,” Irving said. “Shout out to J-Clarkson. It was unfortunate it happened against us.” Added Luka: “That’s a long time. I’m happy for them celebrating. And they won. They should be celebrating.”
X: @ESefko
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