SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay Area for his first game against his former team will highlight Tuesday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, but the night also marks the opener of the second-annual NBA Cup.
Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving discussed the NBA’s annual In-Season Tournament following Tuesday’s shootaround.
“A lot of teams want to win this In-Season Tournament,” Irving said. “We just gotta look forward to seeing every team’s best shot. It’s an exciting game as well because we’re getting used to it as professionals, as crazy as that sounds. We’re getting used to that format and having some type of competitive cup in the middle of the season, it just heightens up your emotions a little bit.”
The Mavericks finished 2-2 in Group Play of last season’s tournament and did not qualify for the Knockout rounds in Las Vegas. Offense is prioritized even more during the Group Play stage because point differentials can determine whether or not a team advances to the semifinals due to the tournament’s tie-breaker rules.
Irving has been a consistent source of offense for the Mavericks. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He’s also averaging a career-high in 3-point percentage (55.2%), which currently ranks fifth in the NBA. He’s made 32-of-58 from beyond the arc. His 58 attempts are the most of anyone in the top 10.
“You gotta run up that score as much as possible,” Irving said. “That’s what they want, but it’s all about how you create that separation in your group.”
The Mavericks belong to West Group C, which also includes the Warriors, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies.
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