The Boston Celtics claimed the NBA championship last year after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Recently, Kyrie Irving reflected on that series and shared his thoughts on the Celtics’ roster during a Twitch appearance with Kai Cenat.
Irving labeled the Celtics a “superteam,” acknowledging the challenge of facing them in the Finals. “We lost in the Finals last year, bro. You don’t think I’m a little more motivated? We were right there,” Irving said. “We were going against a superteam.”
This is not the first time Irving has spoken highly of his former team. Back in October, during the Dallas Mavericks‘ Media Day, he emphasized how tough it is to face players he has previously played with. “I have always known that going against some guys that I’ve played [with] is always going to be some of the toughest,” Irving stated.
“Playing against Jrue Holiday, [Jayson Tatum], [Jaylen Brown], even Derrick White and Al Horford,” he continued. “That starting five with [Kristaps Porzingis] thrown in there, they had a great defensive group, and they play extremely well off each other on the defensive end.”
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives past Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Irving noted the challenge of playing against one of the greatest defensive teams in NBA history, not just one of the best in recent seasons. “It wasn’t like I could get isos every time against everybody. We [were] going against one of the best defensive teams of all time, not one of the best defensive teams of just the past few seasons. That was a special group… I give credit to the Boston Celtics,” he added.
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Quentin Grimes on Irving’s impact
There’s no doubt that Irving has become a key leader for the Mavericks, and his teammates are quick to acknowledge his influence. Shooting guard Quentin Grimes spoke about the impact of having a player like Irving in the locker room.
“He’s amazing, from the first time we were in LA watching him work out, he’s amazing,” Grimes said. “Probably one of the most skilled players ever, if not the most skilled player ever. So just watching him every day, he’s been vocal every day in the locker room, practice, film.”
Grimes continued, “So just having a guy like that who has been to the Finals, won, seen it all, it makes it easy for us to just listen. It’s a blessing to have a guy like that in our locker room.”
PJ Washington on Irving’s leadership
Following the Mavericks’ recent victory over the New York Knicks, PJ Washington also praised Irving’s leadership on the team. “In the first half, he’s telling us to go be aggressive. Obviously, second half he’s being himself,” Washington said after Wednesday’s game.
“I think he’s doing a great job of being a leader for us and managing the team,” he added. “At the end of the day, we’ve been playing great and playing well together.”
