Kyrie Irving shouts out Josh Hart after gruelling Game 3 win, reveals motivation to strive in NBA

The Dallas Mavericks won a gutsy 105-101 win over OKC Thunder, thanks to Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, who continue to shine through the series three games in. The Mavericks have a 2-1 lead following Saturday's win.

Kyrie Irving bounced back after a low-scoring performance in Game 2 with just nine points on 2 of 8 shooting to an impressive 22 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a blow on 10 of 17 shooting from the field at 58.8%, including 2 of 6 from the 3-point line at 33.3% and boasting a +11 net rating in Game 3. Showcasing an overall stellar stat line underscoring his all-around performance.

Kyrie spoke to the media during the post-game interview, where he was queried about his motivation to perform at a high level, to which he replied:

“I think Josh Hart had a tremendous quote where he talked about people having 12-hour shifts and we get to go out there and play the game that we love…We have ascended here because a lot of hard work…”

How Kyrie Irving helped Dallas Mavericks in the clutch to win Game 3 vs OKC Thunder

Irving rebounded from only his third single-digit scoring performance in his extensive playoff history, tallying 14 points after halftime. This included a sequence where he scored six straight Dallas points in the fourth quarter, propelling the Mavericks to their largest lead of the final period at nine points.

Dallas held a three-point advantage after Gilgeous-Alexander missed a 3-pointer. Irving then crossed the lane and made a runner, extending the lead to 104-99 with 39 seconds remaining.

The eight-time All-Star, who had only taken eight shots and scored nine points in Dallas' series-tying game in Oklahoma City, improved significantly by shooting 10 of 17 from the field. He also led the team with seven assists for the second consecutive game.

“One of my coaches just came up to me and said I waited too long, so obviously I’ve got to be better on my end,”

Kyrie continued,

“We’re going against a young team. So we just want to continue to do the things that get us these W's, and it starts on the defensive end.”

P.J. Washington notched 19 points in the first half for the second straight game, ending up just three points short of the combined halftime total of Irving and Doncic. He shot 3 of 6 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished 5 of 12 from 3-point range for the entire game.