(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
The Dallas Mavericks made it to the NBA Finals thanks to their aggressive defense and ability to knock down shots from the perimeter.
The former was again on full display in Game 2 of the Finals, but the latter wasn’t.
Luka Doncic has put up his usual scoring numbers, but his sidekick has been nowhere to be found.
That’s why, when asked his thoughts about why the Celtics were up 2-0 on the Mavericks, Shannon Sharpe had an easy and simple answer.
Talking on ESPN’s “First Take,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer stated that the Mavs don’t stand a chance to win this series unless Kyrie Irving plays up to the level that everybody knows he can.
.@ShannonSharpe says the main reason the Mavs are down 0-2 is because “Kyrie hasn’t played up to Kyrie’s standards.”
“If [the Mavs’] big guns don’t go off, the likelihood of them winning the ball game against this Celtics team is not very good.” pic.twitter.com/ln1TSckGyb
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 10, 2024
He thinks that, had Kyrie played to his usual standard, the Mavericks would’ve won Game 2, as the Celtics — and particularly Jayson Tatum — didn’t shoot the ball well.
Sharpe thinks that the Celtics have too many scoring sources and players who could step up on any given night, whereas the Mavs are way more limited in terms of bucket-getters.
So, while the Celtics can have Kristaps Porzingis put up 20 one night and Jrue Holiday have a 26-point double-double in the next, the Mavs need both of their stars to show up night in and night out.
Sharpe also argued that Game 3 might be the most important game in NBA Finals history for Kyrie’s career.
And while that could be a bit of a stretch, another poor outing there could certainly be a major stain on his legacy.
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