Kyrie Irving spoke after the Mavericks‘ Game 5 loss to the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Despite losing the championship, Irving seemed positive about the Mavericks, stating that he enjoys the group of guys he’s surrounded by, and is proud of the performance they put on, proving a lot of doubters wrong. He then stated his desire for the Mavericks to be remembered as one of the best teams of this era.
“Very confident [in the team’s future]. That’s one positive that we can take from this series, just how far we made it and how proud I am of the guys. We answered a lot of questions this year on what we’re capable of doing. Now it’s just about being consistent. I think, probably in the last week, I said that I wanted [us] to be remembered as one of the best teams of this era.”
Irving doubled down on the opportunity he thinks the Mavericks have to compete for championships regularly, citing the NBA crowning new champions each year since 2019. Kyrie then added that he enjoyed this NBA season more than any other, especially because of the redemption arc he was able to go on.
“The last few champions have been new ones, each and every year. I see an opportunity for us to really build our future in a positive manner where this is almost like a regular thing for us and we’re competing for championships. I think from a spiritual standpoint, I enjoyed this journey more than any other season. Just because of the redemption arc and getting to learn as much as I did about myself, my teammates, the organization, and the people I’m around.”
Irving then praised the Mavericks organization as a whole for being a good group of people who make coming to work fun for him.
“There’s a lot of good people here. It makes coming to work a lot of fun. And when you have that type of environment, it is easy to achieve goals that are bigger than yourself. Because everyone is really dialed in and having a good sense of joy about them.
Kyrie breaks down the Mavs future#Mavericks #OneforDallas pic.twitter.com/ysHE9h0xWr
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 18, 2024
Irving was disappointing in the NBA Finals, especially while playing in Boston. Through the NBA Finals, Irving averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds, while shooting at 41.4% from the field and 27.6% from the three-point line. But he has still shown that he can be an adequate co-star for Doncic with the Mavs.
Luka Doncic Is Proud Of Kyrie Irving And The Rest Of The Mavericks
Luka Doncic also spoke to the media after Game 5. He was asked about his thoughts on the season and used that chance to praise everyone in the organization from his teammates to his coaches and the front office staff. While the disappointment of not winning a championship was tough, Doncic is thrilled to be surrounded by this group of players.
“I feel great. We made some great moves. I would say we’ve been together for five months. I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind [the scenes]. Obviously, we didn’t win the Finals. But we did have a hell of a season. And I’m proud of everyone.”
Doncic and the Mavericks will be looking to get back to the NBA Finals next season. But this series proved that they need to improve their roster if they want to win an NBA championship, as they were outmatched on the court by the Celtics, who were stacked as a team.
If the Mavericks can bolster their squad ahead of next season, there is no reason why they cannot make it back to the NBA Finals. They have one of the best duos in the NBA with Doncic and Kyrie Irving and just need a good group of role players to help them.
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