(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving because they thought he would be a perfect complement to Luka Doncic.
The early returns didn’t show that, as while they were elite on offense, they crumbled on defense and couldn’t even hold onto a playoff spot.
Things were fairly different this season, and their chemistry seemed to be off the charts, both on and off the court.
That pairing led them to the NBA Finals, so it’s only natural to think that’s the key to their success at this stage as well.
However, Irving has been missing in action through the first two games of the series, averaging 14.0 points per game on 35% from the floor.
With that in mind, NBA analyst Alan Hahn claimed that Kyrie was the key to making this a series.
“Kyrie Irving is the key to the entire thing. Is this going to become a series or not? A lot of it is going to be at the feet of Kyrie Irving in Game 3.”
—@LegsESPN pic.twitter.com/EpX0af0T44
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 11, 2024
Talking on ESPN’s “Get Up,” he called out Irving and urged him to initiate action and put more pressure on the Celtics’ defense.
Perhaps Irving was a little too distracted by the Boston crowd and all the narratives around him and that fan base, and heading back home will allow him to get into a different headspace.
The Celtics deserve plenty of credit for the way they’ve locked him up on defense as well, with Jrue Holiday outplaying him on both ends of the floor.
Still, we’re talking about one of the most talented scorers and offensive talents this game has ever seen, so it’s never wise to count him out, not even after consecutive no-shows.
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