Kyrie Irving, in his first 17 minutes on the court, recorded five points and five assists, shooting 2/6 from the field and 1/4 from the three-point range. During the game, he made NBA history by surpassing Hall of Famers James Worthy (463) and Norm Nixon (465) on the all-time playoff assists list. Irving is now tied with NBA Champion Richard Hamilton (467) for 68th place on this list.
The Mavericks currently trail the Celtics 3-1 in the series but are buoyed by a significant 122-84 victory in Game 4. In that game, Irving delivered an impressive performance with 21 points, four rebounds, and six assists, shooting 10/18 from the field and 1/6 from the three-point line over 31 minutes.
If the Mavericks manage to secure a win on Monday, the series will continue in Dallas for Game 6 on Thursday evening. This season marks Irving’s second with Dallas. After missing the playoffs in 2023, the Mavericks bounced back, finishing fifth in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves to reach the Finals.
This is Irving’s fourth appearance in the NBA Finals. He played a pivotal role in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA Championship victory over Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Irving is currently in his 13th season in the NBA.