"They balled without Luka" - Tim Hardaway Jr. & Kyrie Irving scoring 40+ points for Mavericks has NBA fans amped

Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyrie Irving carried the Dallas Mavericks without their star Luka Doncic. Hardaway went off for a career-high 41 points and Irving added 42 in the 125-120 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Irving and Hardaway were both efficient in their attacks as well. Irving went 13-of-28 from the field and Hardaway shot 11-of-23.

Irving had a well-rounded game as he added seven rebounds and seven assists. Hardaway was on fire from downtown. He hit nine of his 15 3-point attempts.

The strong performances from the duo had NBA fans pumped up. Some were shocked the Mavs won without their do-it-all guard Doncic. Check out some of the best reactions on social media below.

Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyrie Irving lead Mavs to win on MLK Day

Tim Hardaway Jr. was unconscious from downtown. Twenty-seven of his 41 points came from behind the arc. He was unguardable and tormented the New Orleans Pelicans defense. He had a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line.

Irving also took advantage of the extra usage without Luka Doncic in the lineup. Irving hit 13 of his 15 free throws and added three triples. He overcame a slow shooting start to come back in a fiery way on the path to 42 points.

The Mavs were able to overcome 30 points from Zion Williamson and 23 from CJ McCollum. Dallas also outrebounded the Pels 42-37.

The Mavericks bounced back after losing their last outing to the Pelicans, as the teams split the two-game home set. Dallas continues to stay in the Western Conference playoff race despite Doncic missing the previous three games with an ankle sprain.

Hardaway was the hero in this one as he hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. He also briefly left the game early on after turning his ankle. However, it did not stop him from rallying the Mavs to a win with his hot shooting.

Brandon Ingram had 12 points and a chance to tie the game late with a 3-pointer. He was off the mark and the Pelicans were forced to foul Dallas after the rebound. Dallas clinched the win at the free-throw line.

Dereck Lively was an unsung hero for Dallas. He came back from a five-game absence with 12 rebounds. He was also huge on the offensive glass, with seven boards.

Dallas finished their seven-game homestand 5-2. It is the longest homestand on their schedule this season. The Mavericks now go out West for a couple of games, starting with a trip to the LA Lakers on Wednesday.