Kyrie Irving made a game-winner for the ages tonight as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Denver Nuggets 107-105 in a thriller.
With the Mavs inbounding the ball and just 2.8 seconds remaining, Irving dribbled to his left and launched a looping left-handed floater near the top of the key. Somehow, he made it.
Irving was promptly mobbed by his teammates amid jubilant scenes in Dallas.
Here’s how NBA players around the league are reacting to the incredible moment:
Kyrie the most skilled mf ever bra…
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) March 17, 2024
Kyrie that is sooooooo tough
— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) March 17, 2024
Kai with the Left! Crazzy finish!!
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) March 17, 2024
.@KyrieIrving 💯
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) March 17, 2024
A left hand running hook ? Cmon son 🤦🏾♂️
— Mo Bamba (@TheRealMoBamba) March 17, 2024
Just saw Kyrie floater at the buzzer…🤦🏽♂️
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) March 17, 2024
The most skilled EVER
— Chimezie Metu™ (@Chimezie_Metu) March 17, 2024
No you fucking didn’t Kyrie Irving!!! Running game winner with the left is crazy!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) March 17, 2024
i can’t get over this shot. it looks like something someone would playfully try in a game of HORSE, not a shot you’d attempt at the buzzer of an important game and MAKE https://t.co/VmWE8BjaQG
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) March 17, 2024
Holy Kyrie!!!! That was incredible!
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) March 17, 2024
kyrie has been inventing something new, every game, for like a decade straight. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. but that man has never played the same set once after thousands of concerts.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 17, 2024
Incredibly, Irving hadn’t been shooting the ball well tonight, having made just 8 of 22 shots from the field before draining the winner.
He did however finish with a healthy stat line of 24 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals.
Here’s what Kyrie and others had to say after the game:
KYRIE IRVING
“Sometimes I spend just an hour straight just working on straight left-hand stuff. Just being a small guard, you’ve just got to have a multitude of finishes. And that’s something I’ve been working on since I was a kid.”
JASON KIDD
“I wasn’t going to jump into the pile. Thought about it. But knowing my luck, I would have missed and hit the floor. I thought I’d just stand there and celebrate with those guys. A lot of fun. It should be fun.”
DERECK LIVELY II
“In Kyrie we trust. Whenever we see him get the ball, sit back and watch it happen.”
MIKE MALONE
“I saw Kyrie Irving make a running, left-handed hook from the elbow. We’ve been on both sides of it.”
READ MORE: Kyrie Irving on Returning to Barclays Center For First Time