LeBron James became the first player in NBA history to score 50,000 points combined in the regular season and playoffs while scoring 34 to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a win over the Pelicans. Dave DuFour and Zena Keita discuss LeBron’s Western Conference Player of the Month award, his All-NBA team chances, and the Phoenix Suns crazy comeback over the Clippers. Then, the Athletic’s Christian Clark joins the show to discuss Kyrie Irving’s ACL tear, whether Anthony Davis will return, and where the Dallas Mavericks go from here.Host: Dave DuFourWith: Zena Keita & Christian ClarkExecutive Producer: Andrew SchlechtAudio Producer: Grayson MoodyRead Christian’s story here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6174993/2025/03/04/mavericks-kyrie-irving-luka-doncic-anthony-davis-nico-harrison/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chapter 1: What happened to Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks?
Good morning, Dave. Another show. We had a couple good games last night. But, unfortunately, got a little bit of news and update on Kyrie Irving. He's going to miss the rest of the season and likely a large portion of next year. Got a torn ACL. You know, he injured the leg on Monday night. Going up for a layup. You know, just something that, again, he's probably done 10 million times in his life.
Freak occurrence. So yeah, Zena, he's going to be out for the year. The Mavs just completely snakebitten.
The list of everything that's happened to the Dallas Mavericks, particularly since Luka Doncic was traded, is... is surreal. Like it really feels as if the plague has descended upon them. And this is just another notch in that, but it's probably the biggest one.
When you think about Kyrie Irving in the story of what this was supposed to be, of course, Luke is at the center, but Kyrie was that next big chapter. And then you add in Klay Thompson and, And now all that's left is Clay.
And there's something eerie about that when you think about what Clay Thompson went through towards the end of his time with the Warriors with his ACL tear and him being sidelined for a year. And now you've got Kyrie Irving also not being able to carry the torch on after Luka in Dallas. But it's heartbreaking overall for the story of the Dallas Mavericks. But I think...
if anything, heartbreaking for Kyrie, watching him take those last two free throws, thanking God. And I believe he's going through Ramadan right now as well. So he might also be fasting. I mean, there was something spiritual in that moment from him thanking God in the most vulnerable period of his injury. It was just surreal. I just hope he gets better soon.
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Chapter 2: How did LeBron James make history?
The Mavericks, I really thought the Luka trade didn't end their season. It just, I think, stunted their future. Kyrie's injury, that's a wrap. Not a wrap. LeBron James. His career, I think it has no end in sight.
He was named Western Conference Player of the Month yesterday, and he also, in the game and the win against the Pelicans, became the first NBA player to score 50,000 points combined regular season and postseason. I mean, that's a number that's likely never going to be touched again, just when you consider the longevity of his career, 22 years. He also poured in.
So he, I guess he has now 50,000 and 33 points because he had 34 points in the game, eight rebounds, six assists. So, you know, he's already on the way to 51,000 Zena.
Chapter 3: What are the Lakers' chances for the playoffs?
That's actually, it's stupid. It's just like, it's ridiculous. And I'm happy you mentioned longevity because Yovan Buha also wrote about this accomplishment and he mentioned the longevity. But the word that he used that's really real and I think underscored here is availability.
We do not talk enough about how much LeBron James has made himself available to even score those points out on the court over the course of his career. And also being able to see his career now, potentially at the twilight, him still playing in his prime, not only from a physical factor, right? We see him playing with the same vigor, the same just...
ferociousness on the court that he had when he was in his prime. We're also seeing this elevated level of cerebral play and tactical play and methodical play. And so combining the two of them at the age of 40, hitting 50,000 points, and it's still going like we are still seeing these Herculean efforts night in, night out from LeBron. It's we're so lucky to be able to watch something like this.
Yeah. So in February, he averaged 29 points a game, shot 55% from the field, 44% from three, 10 and a half rebounds, seven assists, a steal. He had two 40 point games, which is now the most for any player over the age of 40. Cause Michael Jordan only did it once and the Lakers were nine and two.
And so a lot of this was also before Luca even got there, by the way, Luca had 30 and 15 in the game last night for, you know, casual since we're talking about the game. Yeah. But yeah, You know, LeBron's legitimately made a strong case for all NBA, in my opinion, all NBA first team. Not just all NBA. I think all NBA first team. And, you know, they're the two seed. They keep winning. Yeah.
I think he's going to be on the MVP ballot for a lot of people, and rightfully so. I mean, he has kept this team above water when Anthony Davis was hurt. Obviously, this whole transition moving over to the Luka Doncic era, this has just been a masterclass of a season, and he's 40.
And it's a masterclass in leadership too. Being able to adjust through those periods and particularly this new addition of Luka Doncic, you could have said that it wouldn't have worked, especially the way he was rolling in February. And now to see the both of them, you know, coexisting beautifully, it's amazing. it's unfair. It's fun though.
I mean, the Lakers, all of a sudden they became such, and not that they weren't even good, but now they're so compelling. That's what I'm saying.
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Chapter 4: What was the Phoenix Suns' comeback story?
Exactly. Yeah.
But they're so compelling. They're so fun to watch. I mean, Luca blocks it. A three pointer gets the, gets his own, gets the own rebound, falling out of balance, bounces off the guy's head and then points the other direction. And the crowd is going wild. And you could just see like LeBron is loving this too. It's awesome. Lakers games are just an extravaganza. Again, it's the Lakers are back.
Yeah, the Lakers are back. Speaking of back, I got to admit something to you guys. Sometimes we have to change the show up based on, you know, what happens. We thought our game of the night was going to be Warriors-Knicks. You know, it's this new Warriors team. It's their first real test against a real good team. And then Carl Anthony Towns is out. Okay, well, you know what?
The Knicks are still really good. Okay, well, the Warriors won that game. They're 9-1 with Jimmy Butler, but way less compelling than what became our game of the night. Phoenix Suns, they were absolutely pathetic, to quote Stan Van Gundy. Their defense was pathetic to start this game. They were down, what was it, 18 at the halftime?
They were down as much as 23, and they came back, Zena, because they're not as pathetic as we thought. They showed a lot of grit. 119-117, they picked up the win, and I think we're going to start
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Chapter 5: What is the current state of the Mavericks' season?
in the oddest place we could possibly start because when you've got look remember they started the year this is the second or excuse me this is the yes the second biggest payroll in sports right it was 409 million dollars to start the year so who do you think the hero of this game is Of course, it's the two-way player.
Exactly.
You would think it's one of those people pushing up that payroll. Yeah. You know what's nice, man? Look, when you're a two-way player, it's March. You're not on the opposing team scouting report. Colin Gillespie came in, scored 10 points in the fourth. You know, help, help. build that comeback. But, but Zena, look, they've got an opportunity. They are three games back at the Mavericks.
The Mavericks season looks like it's done. They have to play better than they played in the first half of this game. But I think the signs of life that we saw in the second half, it's worth being a little bit optimistic about that.
That's a positive. Absolutely. But we I think we all know that Phoenix has the material. Phoenix has the tools and the components. It's about being able to execute and being able to put it all together. Right. I mean, everyone saw that first half. If you looked at social media during the midst of that game, everyone was ripping on Phoenix and also everyone was dissecting.
phoenix looking at every little interaction on the court on the bench figuring out like this team is done there's no chemistry they're not playing hard they're not competitive etc everyone saw it it was as if they went in the locker room in the second half maybe in the third quarter someone passed out phones it was like you see what they're saying about you you see what they're saying they're saying that you're not competitive that you don't want to win a championship this is what they're saying and then they specifically said and colin they don't think you're worth the 409 million that's been on this roster like let's
Let's figure it out. And they came out like re-energized. It was actually really encouraging and inspiring, but it still leaves the question of what is the culture of Phoenix? What do they stand under? Because it was funny when Stan Van Gundy said that this team is pathetic. The very next line was due to a turnover by the play-by-play announcer that said, he said, and that's Clippers basketball.
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Chapter 6: How does team identity affect the Suns' performance?
Chapter 7: What are the implications of Kyrie's injury on the Mavericks' future?
They were down as much as 23, and they came back, Zena, because they're not as pathetic as we thought. They showed a lot of grit. 119-117, they picked up the win, and I think we're going to start
in the oddest place we could possibly start because when you've got look remember they started the year this is the second or excuse me this is the yes the second biggest payroll in sports right it was 409 million dollars to start the year so who do you think the hero of this game is Of course, it's the two-way player.
Exactly.
You would think it's one of those people pushing up that payroll. Yeah. You know what's nice, man? Look, when you're a two-way player, it's March. You're not on the opposing team scouting report. Colin Gillespie came in, scored 10 points in the fourth. You know, help, help. build that comeback. But, but Zena, look, they've got an opportunity. They are three games back at the Mavericks.
The Mavericks season looks like it's done. They have to play better than they played in the first half of this game. But I think the signs of life that we saw in the second half, it's worth being a little bit optimistic about that.
That's a positive. Absolutely. But we I think we all know that Phoenix has the material. Phoenix has the tools and the components. It's about being able to execute and being able to put it all together. Right. I mean, everyone saw that first half. If you looked at social media during the midst of that game, everyone was ripping on Phoenix and also everyone was dissecting.
phoenix looking at every little interaction on the court on the bench figuring out like this team is done there's no chemistry they're not playing hard they're not competitive etc everyone saw it it was as if they went in the locker room in the second half maybe in the third quarter someone passed out phones it was like you see what they're saying about you you see what they're saying they're saying that you're not competitive that you don't want to win a championship this is what they're saying and then they specifically said and colin they don't think you're worth the 409 million that's been on this roster like let's
Let's figure it out. And they came out like re-energized. It was actually really encouraging and inspiring, but it still leaves the question of what is the culture of Phoenix? What do they stand under? Because it was funny when Stan Van Gundy said that this team is pathetic. The very next line was due to a turnover by the play-by-play announcer that said, he said, and that's Clippers basketball.
It made me immediately go, what's Phoenix basketball?
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