In the absence of Luka Doncic, the recent clash between Dallas and Golden State was especially close to a duel between Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry.

A duel won by the leader of the Mavericks and which he took advantage of to vent about his prestigious counterpart.

In the middle of the final sprint of the regular season, the Warriors know they have to win all their matches to hope to qualify directly for the playoffs.

Their plans were, however, thwarted by the Mavericks, winners of a very close match this Friday (108-106).

Deprived of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving notably took matters into his own hands against one of his old rivals, in the person of Stephen Curry .

Kyrie Irving honest after his won duel against Steph Curry

Author of 26 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, Irving was able to lead his team to victory despite Curry’s 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

Enough to offer a new episode of this leader-star duel which has lasted for more than a decade.

However, do not believe that there is the slightest animosity between the two men, as Uncle Drew made clear at a press conference:

Truth be told, it was never a one-on-one battle between Steph and I, even though the fans might think otherwise.

I don’t know how long this conversation will last… It will probably continue until he retires or I retire.

You know, it’s just a comparison. He’s a playmaker, I’m a playmaker. He’s won four titles, I’ve won one

We faced each other several times in the Finals and he won most of the time.

I respect guys like that. He dominated the league so much, he set the bar very high for every playmaker.

You’re always chasing his legacy, it’s something inevitable when you’re a competitor.

We always want to play well against someone like him. It brings out the best in us.

He will always be there doing these things of which he has the secret and making the crowds stand up.

As for me, I try to take inspiration from his strengths and incorporate them into my game.

In the same way that he takes some of my techniques, we learn from each other. It’s mutual respect. On the other hand, I don’t know if we will ever be able to give the fans what they really want in terms of adversity.

It’s exciting to be in the league with people like that and to see him break records every night. (…)

I’m still trying to join the 50-40-90 club and I think he’s already done it once or twice.

It’s logical to think that things will heat up when I play against him, but that’s not the case.

There is always positivity between us when we compete and that’s how it should be.

Accustomed to finding themselves facing each other on the NBA floors, Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving must be considered rivals for many.

However, Uncle Drew ensures that their relationship turns out to be extremely healthy and boils down to that of competitors.