Jason Kidd playfully jabs Kyrie Irving, Mavericks after missed free throws in Game 2 win
By Andrew Crane,
2024-05-25
Jason Kidd didn’t hesitate to make fun of his Mavericks players after they went 15-for-22 on free throws in their Game 2 win, with star Kyrie Irving even missing a pair in the final two minutes.
“Alright, free throws on three,” Kidd said from the locker room, as the Mavericks broke down their huddle postgame after a 109-108 victory Friday that gave them a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final.
Irving, pictured in the clip that was shared on social media, was shown laughing after Kidd’s comment and playfully punching his coach following the team’s exchange.
With 1:44 remaining and the Mavericks trailing by three, Irving was fouled by Rudy Gobert but missed both of his free throws, and when Anthony Edwards converted both of his foul shots one possession later at the other end, the Timberwolves stretched their lead to five.
But Irving, the ex-Nets guard who finished with 20 points and six assists, responded with a 3-pointer 39 seconds later to trim Dallas’ deficit to two points — setting the foundation for Luka Doncic’s game-winning shot in the final seconds.
“Oh my gosh,” Irving said in an on-court interview postgame when asked about the missed free throws. “Dad, I’m sorry. I love you man. Dad, I’m sorry. I’ll make the next ones.”
Those were somewhat unexpected misses by Irving, too, as he connected on 90.5 percent of his free throws during the regular season and had missed just six this postseason entering Friday.
But after making his first free throw in the second quarter, Irving missed his second attempt with 5:17 remaining in the game, connected on his third and then missed the final two near the end of regulation — allowing all of the fans in attendance at the Target Center to receive free Chick-fil-A.
“A lot of emotions going through my head,” Irving told reporters postgame, “and there’s a brief moment of disappointment. … The fans are going crazy, and rightfully so, they were cheering their butts off, and when I missed it, I think I was as surprised as a lot of people in the arena.”
But with Irving’s 3-pointer and Doncic’s game-winning shot, the Mavericks avoided allowing those missed free throws from spiraling into something disastrous, taking a commanding series lead back to Dallas — where they’ve gone 4-2 to start this postseason — and sitting two wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since winning the 2011 title.
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