Kyrie Irving is one win away from returning to the NBA Finals.
His partnership with Luka Doncic has become one of the most feared one-two punches in the NBA. A duo that many expected to fail is thriving at the highest level, and a significant amount of that success comes down to the maturation process of Irving.
In a recent episode of ESPN’s “Get Up,” NBA insider Brian Windhorst praised Irving’s new mindset and approach to the game. He noted how the veteran ball-handler has emerged as a leader for an impressive Dallas Mavericks roster.
“For the last seven years, what Kyrie has been doing is breaking up big twos and big threes,” Windhorst said. “They thought they had one in Boston with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum; it didn’t last. They thought they had one in Brooklyn with Kevin Durant and James Harden. It’s hard to assume he would fit in with Luka beautifully here. I was highly skeptical … He is doing everything a leader does A-Z. He is absolutely peak physical condition … He has done everything you would want a star player to do … We are living with Kyrie in full bloom here. I hope it lasts because it’s amazing to watch.”
Irving has played in 15 games so far during the postseason. He’s averaging 22.4 points, 5.3 assists and four rebounds while shooting 52.1% from two-point range and 44% from the perimeter.
To be putting up those numbers when playing next to a heliocentric star such as Doncic is impressive. However, what’s more impressive is how the two have learned to use each other’s gravity to manipulate opposing defenses.
There’s no ego on the Mavericks roster. They play as a unit and work toward their end goal.
After difficult stops with the Celtics and Nets, Irving is finally proving himself as the star talent everyone knew he could be. He’s left the antics and brooding behind. In their place is a selfless leader playing the best basketball of his career.
Whether or not that personal growth will lead to a championship remains to be seen.
If the Mavericks make it to the NBA Finals, they will face a Celtics team widely viewed as possessing the best roster in the NBA. Irving will receive a hostile reception, and his maturation will be severely tested.
Nevertheless, Dallas wouldn’t have gotten this far without Irving. His presence on the roster is paying dividends.
For a player who joined the team with a bad reputation, he has emerged as a fan favorite of the postseason. This is just the start of the Mavericks’ story. Irving will have a big role to play in the coming years.
