The Dallas Mavericks are shaping up to be strong contenders for the NBA championship this season. While the headline move of the offseason was the addition of Klay Thompson, head coach Jason Kidd believes Kyrie Irving is poised to be the true standout this year for the Mavs.
In an interview with Marc Stein of DLLS Mavs, Kidd expressed confidence that Irving will take his game to the next level this season. “[Kyrie Irving] has really loved being in Dallas,” Kidd said. “He loves the situation. He respects [general manager Nico Harrison] and myself.”
“He wants to win, and I think you saw that in the numbers he put up,” Kidd added. “You can see that in training camp. He’s doing all the reps [and] doesn’t want to sit out. I think you’re going to see an even better Kyrie this season.”
Irving played a crucial role for the Mavericks during the regular season and playoffs last year, but he left fans wanting more after a tough NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics.
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the second quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. Elsa/Getty Images
Irving reflects on ‘disappointing’ NBA Finals performance
In a Twitch stream, Kyrie Irving opened up about the Mavericks’ loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, admitting disappointment in his own play during the team’s deep postseason run.
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“Last year was definitely disappointing from the standpoint of not winning the Finals as a team and coming up short,” Irving said. “We got there for a reason, but blood is definitely in the water.”
Irving didn’t shy away from taking responsibility for the Mavericks falling short. “I’m always going to take accountability, and it starts with me,” he said. “I didn’t play my best down the stretch, and that’s been eating me alive—in a healthy way. I’ve stayed motivated, and we’re gonna be back. We just need to have fun and take it day by day. But losing f— sucks.”
