Subscribe
Follow Us
The 2024 NBA Finals was already expected to draw plenty of attention. That attention will only increase with Kyrie Irving set to play against his former team as the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics prepare to square off. It projects to be a thrilling series between two franchises that are hungry for a championship.
So what can fans expect to see from Irving during the series?
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Kyrie Irving has at least one 40-point plus performance in Boston
The primary storyline in the 2024 NBA Finals will be Irving and the Celtics. Irving's time in Boston did not end in favorable fashion for anyone involved. Kyrie knows that fans are likely going to boo him, but he's always ready for a challenge.
“I'm built for these moments, to be able to handle circumstances like that,” Irving said of playing in Boston while speaking to reporters on Monday. “I've been able to grown since then. Of course it's going to be a hectic environment. I'm looking forward to it. I see it as a healthy relationship to have with the fans.”
Kyrie Irving reflects on the past as the #Mavericks prepare to play the Celtics in the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/quFo2Eh6q4
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 3, 2024
Irving has played well in the NBA postseason. There were times during the 2024 playoffs where he was not quite as aggressive on offense, though. With the environment expected to be “hectic”, as Irving said, one has to imagine he will enter the series with some added motivation.
And when great scorers like Kyrie Irving have any extra motivation, all defenses can do is cross their fingers and hope he misses some shots. He may end up having multiple 40-point games in the series, but look for at least one huge offensive explosion on the road from the Mavs star.
Irving plays lockdown defense all series long
Another area where added motivation can be channeled is on the defensive end of the floor. Irving has played well on defense in the postseason so far. It would not be surprising to see Kyrie take another step forward on that end of the floor during the series.
In the end, Kyrie is known for his offensive dominance. That is the part of his game that receives the attention.
One important note to make is that Irving said he's “healthy” heading into this year's NBA Finals. As a result, his defensive productivity will likely see an increase.
Dallas will need an all-around respectable defensive effort to upset Boston. The Celtics feature the offensive potential to run away with games if opposing defenses struggle to make impactful plays. Irving understands, so we can expect him to step up and have a big series on both ends of the floor.
Kyrie makes at least one game-winning shot
Motivation, motivation, motivation. It's a word we have probably used too much but it's the perfect way to describe what we will see from Kyrie Irving against the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
The Mavericks have two closers on the roster in Irving and Luka Doncic. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are terrific players, but I would take Irving and Doncic as the preferred duo to close games.
Either player can make a game-winning shot, but the prediction here is that Kyrie will connect on at least one attempt to send Mavericks fans home happy.
The NBA Finals is going to be a back-and-forth series. But I believe Kyrie Irving is poised to perform at an elite level. And if you don't believe me, maybe you will have more faith based on what former NBA star Jamal Crawford recently said about Kyrie.
“He's definitely going to average 25 (points per game in the NBA Finals)… I think if Dallas wins this series, I think this championship can mean more to Kyrie than the one he got in Cleveland,” Crawford said on Bully Ball, via All the Smoke Productions.
