NBA: Jason Kidd reveals heartwarming message from emotional Kyrie Irving

The Dallas Mavericks have pulled off back-to-back upsets on their way to the Western Conference Finals. Now, they’re just four wins away from reaching the NBA Finals.

We’re talking about a team that didn’t even make the playoffs last season, so this is a notorious turnaround. And while trading for some defenders played a big part here, most of the credit goes to their stellar backcourt.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are a special duo, and that combination of youth and experience has helped them weather the storm. However, despite being a seasoned veteran, Irving believes he had never experienced something like this.

Jason Kidd Reveals Emotional Message From Kyrie Irving

“He (Irving) actually said that to me, ‘this is the hardest thing that I’ve ever gone through,’ Kidd told the media “So I said, ‘is it? Well you did win a championship. It was easy?’ I said, ‘it’s cool. Actually this will be a great story to be able to tell your kids, how hard it really is to win.’ Nothing comes easy in life.”

Irving Is The Mavs’ X-Factor

Irving’s numbers vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t particularly impressive. However, his playmaking, timely shot-making, and the way he dealt with the pressure and physicality helped this team get the job done:

“I just told him to just put this up there with some of the hardest things you’re gonna have to grind through. Yes, he’s probably exhausted. Yes, he probably felt like he could have made a couple shots. But he did his part to help the team win on the defensive end and also accepted the double-teams,” Kidd said. “When you look at this series, yes he didn’t have the offensive explosion but he was the glue in this series. He kept everybody together, he kept everybody positive. Yes, it was the hardest thing but it only gets harder. And that’s what makes it fun for the great ones.”