Less than a year ago, Kyrie Irving was on the receiving end of a lot of criticism from the NBA media. The 32-year-old had accomplished a lot in his basketball career, but he always came with the risk of breaking the team chemistry, at least that was what the media wanted the people to believe. However, since his move to the Dallas Mavericks, the eight-time All-Star has been a man on a mission and is helping the franchise get back to the pinnacle of basketball.
Although Luka Doncic is a star on the Mavs, Kyrie Irving’s impact is what is helping Jason Kidd’s team get over the line. In Irving, the Mavs have a reliable scorer and an option to rely on aside from Luka Doncic. This is something that the franchise has lacked over the past couple of years and it seems like they have finally figured it out. Although Irving’s arrival in Dallas started a little shaky, he kept his calm and returned with them this season with renewed hope.
The 2016 NBA champion averaged 25.6 PPG in the regular season. While his average has dropped in the playoffs to 22.4 PPG, his impact has not. Luka Doncic’s presence means that Kyrie Irving does not have to worry a lot about scoring. The duo takes turns attacking the defense and this makes the Mavs offense a lot more dangerous than the previous years. There is no doubt that Irving is one of the best offensive players in the history of the game, but this campaign he has stepped up on the defensive end. His effort on both ends is what has helped the Mavs trouble all the teams they have faced in the postseason so far.
How important is Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks?
Kyrie Irving’s move to the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline was a deal that shocked the NBA world. Him playing alongside Luka Doncic was considered to be an afterthought, but Jason Kidd who himself was a guard in his playing days, had something special planned for the duo. It took a lot of time for the two to adjust, but since that has happened, Dallas has been a tough side to beat.
Luka Doncic is one of the most dangerous players in the NBA. He has a catalogue of moves and can score from nearly anywhere on the floor. What makes it difficult to stop him these days is that he now has a counter to a double team and that is simply kicking the ball out to Kyrie Irving. The 32-year-old is a sensational shooter and can get the job done if he receives the ball in tough situations.
The Mavs are now just a win away from the NBA Finals. This will be the first time for Luka Doncic playing in the Finals, which will make things a little more difficult for him. However, the Mavs have Irving who has been a part of the NBA Finals before. Not only has he won a championship, but he was a key part of the franchise and this is the experience that is going to be useful for the Mavs. They will need him to be at his best if they want to get to their second championship in franchise history.
