The Dallas Mavericks had an impressive run last season, with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the team to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011, when they won the championship against the Miami Heat. However, despite the team’s success, Irving was candid about his personal struggles in the Finals.
During a recent Twitch stream, the former Brooklyn Nets guard discussed the Mavericks’ Finals loss to the Celtics and his own performance. “Last year was definitely disappointing from the standpoint of not winning the Finals as a team and coming up short,” Irving admitted. “We got there for a reason. Blood is definitely in the water.”
Irving also acknowledged that his play in the latter part of the season wasn’t up to his usual standards. “I’m always going to take accountability, and it starts with me,” Irving said during the stream. “I didn’t play my best at all down the stretch, and it’s been eating me alive in a healthy way. I’ve been staying motivated. We’re gonna be back. Just gonna have fun and take it day by day. But losing f— sucks, though.”
The dynamic duo of Doncic and Irving struggled to maintain the high level of play that carried them through the earlier rounds of the playoffs. But with the offseason addition of Klay Thompson, the Mavericks are setting their sights on another Finals appearance next season.
Luka Doncic #77 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks embrace during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Mark Cuban reveals how Doncic, Irving led Mavs to the Finals
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban shared insights on how the pairing of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led Dallas to the Finals during an appearance on The Roommates Show. According to Cuban, building chemistry in the offseason was key to their success.
“It was like, okay, let’s just take the summer and figure things out,” Cuban said. “Going into training camp, they learned how to play together. [Head coach Jason Kidd] is great at managing guys with that level of talent, and we were able to put it together.”
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Cuban also highlighted how Doncic and Irving’s connection elevated the entire team. “Not only did they figure out how to play off each other, but they made everybody else better,” Cuban noted. “Guys like PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively all improved because of them. It was special to see how they lifted the entire squad.”
