Kyrie Irving reacts to PJ Washington's continued success against the Thunder as the Mavericks secure a crucial win.

A lot of this stems back to the 2024 playoffs when Dallas beat the top-seeded Thunder in the second round in six games, but this is becoming one of the best rivalries in the NBA, and Kyrie Irving had an up-close view of all of it.

Kyrie Irving — an expert in rivalries — agreed that the Thunder and Mavericks have become arch-nemesis. “It’s personal. I think it’s the start of a healthy rivalry," Irving said. "... We’re gonna be seeing them a lot over the next few years so it’s good that you set the precedent now what it’s gonna be like.