Highlights
- Kyrie Irving struggles against the Boston Celtics’ defense and underperforms in the NBA Finals.
- Irving vows to return stronger for Game 5 despite underwhelming playoff stats.
- Irving must improve his play, work with Luka Dončić, and win Game 3 to shift the series momentum.
The Dallas Mavericks fought tooth and nail in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, clawing their way back from a 14-point deficit only to fall short yet again to the Boston Celtics, 105-98.
The Mavericks as a whole struggled to score against the tenacious Boston defense, but one player in particular who has yet to find their shot has been former, Kyrie Irving.
Irving Rattled By the Celtics’ Defense
The Celtics have not fallen for any of Irving’s tricks
© Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Despite his struggles, Irving was adamant to fans as he exited the arena that they would see him again for Game 5, implying that the series is far from over.
In order for his statements to reign true, Irving especially has to step up his level of play in all aspects. He has been uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball, failed to execute simple passes, and struggled to get to the rim against the elite Celtics defenders.
Irving is widely recognized as one of the most skilled players to ever play the game, and much of the NBA world considers him the best-undersized finisher and ball handler to ever step foot on a basketball court.
The expectations for him, considering his history with the Celtics, were extremely high, and he has greatly underachieved. His production has dipped dramatically across the board, and it is evident on the court as well.
|
Irving’s Playoff Performance |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Category |
PPG |
AST |
FG% |
3P% |
TO |
|
Finals |
14.0 |
4.0 |
35.1 |
0.0 |
2.5 |
|
Entire Playoffs |
21.9 |
5.1 |
47.0 |
39.1 |
2.5 |
There have been so many clips of Irving getting locked up, stripped, and blocked throughout the series that someone could make a compilation of them, and to top it all off, there have only been two games.
In order for the Mavericks to come back, Irving has to maintain his composure and be the steadying force the team hired him to be, and his superstar teammate, Luka Dončić, has to give Irving the space to operate and get into a rhythm.
So far in this series, Dončić has monopolized the ball to the point where it is almost impossible for anyone else to establish a rhythm offensively.
Of course, it doesn’t help that Irving gets booed relentlessly by Celtics fans the moment he touches the ball, but now that the Mavericks are returning to their home floor, there are no excuses.
Game 3 is the perfect opportunity for Irving to really get in a groove and find comfort on the floor alongside his superstar running mate. The two will hope to make an imprint on the game, and leave Dallas with two victories under their belt and the momentum in their favor, but that all starts with a win in Game 3.
Set to take place Wednesday night at 8:30 PM ET, NBA fans everywhere will be tuning in to the game to see how Irving and the Mavericks respond.
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