We have to go back to 2016 to find traces of a Kyrie Irving at 20 points on average and less. All the harm we wish for him is that the season ends as well for him, but it is clear that the All-Star leader has changed in his attitude, but also in his game. And he assures that this is not It’s not his groin and foot injuries that force him to change his way of playing.
“We have a special group. I can trust them. I don’t need to be Superman. I don’t have to put everything on my shoulders”, Mavericks guard explains. “I’m not saying I’ve had to do it in other teams, but it’s just that mentally you sometimes do it when you’re trying to prove people wrong, when you use criticism as a a motivation. »
Kyrie Irving claims to have found his place alongside Luka Doncic
Author of 21 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds in the victory in Orlando, Kyrie Irving has never been such a passer in his career, with almost 8 assists on average. Often considered a “second back”, LeBron James’ former teammate seems to have found his role alongside Luka Doncic.
“We have to know how to play with each other. I think at this stage of my career it’s good to have the ball in my hands at the end of the match or in tense situations or certain circumstances of the game and to have the confidence of my teammates to bring us back in the game “ he continues. “I have to pay tribute to my teammates who make my job easier. “I just have to put the ball in the right place at the right time and trust my teammates to make their shots.”
Not focused on individual goals
The paradox is that after one of his best seasons in terms of skill, he struggles with his shooting (43% on shots, 24% on 3-pointers), but he compensates with his passes, and other sectors.
“It’s natural for me to say I’m frustrated with my shooting and focus on the things I’m not necessarily doing well, percentage-wise or stat-wise. It’s the easiest thing.” insists Kyrie Irving. “I feel like it’s kind of a cop-out, but the goal is really for the team to win and for team spirit to reign within the team. How do I make sure I get the best out of my teammates every night, despite what I do on the court, in terms of points? So it’s really refreshing to be able to win matches where my teammates bring that level of intensity and focus and want to play well with me, Luka and the others. »
In the end, he assures us: at 31, Kyrie Irving is no longer aiming for individual awards, and wants to be recognized as a leader among the Mavericks.
“This year I’m focusing on basketball and being good at the right time. You’ll hear me say this quite often,” warns Kyrie Irving. “I also don’t think my accolades are at the forefront, like being selected to the All-Star Game or being part of an All-NBA Teams, and other things like that. It’s just about growing as a leader, maturing and improving every day on and off the field. We are a group in full evolution. »
