FABULOUS FRESH START 

Superstar Kyrie Irving wasted little time demonstrating why the Mavericks could very well be a tough out come postseason.

An 11-year-veteran who was acquired by Dallas in a blockbuster trade on Monday — in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029 — the 30-year-old Irving quickly found his niche for the Mavericks after what was a mostly tumultuous 3 1/2-year stint in Brooklyn.

In his Dallas debut Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena, Irving was his usual reliable self, registering a team-high 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting and five assists, and the Mavericks witnessed all five starters manage double figures en route to a 110-104 win.

With fellow superstar Luka Dončić sidelined for a third consecutive game with a right heel contusion, Irving turned in a remarkable performance while Dončić — the team’s leading scorer and presumptive league MVP frontrunner — stood cheering him on from the bench in street clothes.

It was, by all accounts, a masterful Mavericks coming out party — and much-needed fresh start — for Irving, who helped steer Dallas to its second consecutive win, this after he spent the better part of the 2022-23 campaign as one the NBA’s most controversial players.

Most importantly, Wednesday’s win catapulted the Mavericks to the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings.

Dallas entered Wednesday’s contest in sixth place in the West.

In their third outing of a five-game road trip, the Mavericks (30-26) never trailed and led by as many 19 points against the Clippers (31-17).

“It felt good to get this debut out of the way,” Irving said of his Mavericks debut. “It’s just been a long 96 hours, barely any sleep sometimes. It’s the first time I ever got traded in the middle of the season, so it was new for me, but I’m excited that I’m here. “The most important thing that we stressed as a team was just don’t force the ball to me.

“We just want to play natural basketball. You don’t always have to come to me. You can play off me, I can play off the ball, I can cut. “I’m sure when No. 77 (Dončić) gets back, it’ll be even more enjoyable to see and play out there.”

The Mavericks, meanwhile, are hopeful Dončić, the NBA’s leading scorer who averages 33.4 points per game, will return Friday when Dallas plays the first of back-to-back games at Sacramento.

Against Los Angeles on Wednesday, Irving was met by a solid supporting cast from the rest of the starting lineup.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting, Reggie Bullock managed 18 points, Josh Green 14, and Dwight Powell 10 for the Mavericks.

The Clippers, meanwhile, had just three players to score in double, although Los Angeles rallied and trimmed their deficit to one late in the third.

Reserve Norman Powell scored a team-best 24 points, Terrance Mann added 21 points, Paul George managed 19, and Kawhi Leonard 18 for Los Angeles. — Andre Johnson