The Golden State Warriors considered the Boston Celtics as their biggest threat to their championship hopes, and they still do; largely in part to one key player — Kyrie Irving.
Shaun Livingston, who has experienced three straight NBA Finals playing against him (2015-17) knows what a catalyst like Irving can do for a team, having experienced it during those hard-fought battles against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“He really catapults them,” Livingston said, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “You put that experience, the level of talent from a mental standpoint, he’s on another level. You categorize the superstar players based on what they do in the playoffs. So that’s why he gets so much respect.”
The Toronto Raptors also have a player of such caliber in Kawhi Leonard, who was the stalwart for the San Antonio Spurs that earned them a championship in 2014, ending LeBron James' reign in South Beach.
Yet Irving is the one this Warriors team has seen pick apart their very own players in playoff situations, tormenting some of their best defenders, including Klay Thompson.
“Absolutely,” Livingston said. “100 percent. He had prime Klay Thompson on him most of the time.”
Irving had perhaps the biggest hand in changing the Warriors' legacy, as his late 3-pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals gave Cleveland its first ever NBA championship and spoiled a historic 73-win regular season.
“He did it at the top level,” Livingston said. “If he don’t hit that shot, a lot of things are different.”
Now only a day away from a matchup against Irving and the Celtics, the Warriors will test their mettle against their biggest threat, likely getting their best shot as they tune for a playoff push before the All-Star break.
Follow Us
Subscribe