Kyrie Irving shouts out Celtics’ defense while reliving 2024 NBA Finals (Image Credit: IMAGN)

Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving struggled offensively against his former team, the Boston Celtics, during the 2024 NBA Finals. However, according to the eight-time All-Star, there were few adjustments he could have made, as he was up against an all-time great defense.

Irving thrived over the 2024 playoffs’ first three rounds, serving as Dallas’ secondary scoring option behind superstar guard Luka Doncic. Entering the finals, he averaged 22.8 points per game, shooting 48.5% and 42.1% from 3 across 17 outings, helping the fifth-seeded Mavericks (50-32) defy expectations.

However, Irving met his match against the Celtics in the championship round, suffering a steep decline in offensive efficiency. Over five appearances, he averaged 19.8 ppg, shooting 41.4% and 27.6% from deep as Dallas fell 4-1.

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Meanwhile, he fared even worse in Boston, averaging 14.3 ppg, shooting 34.0% and 17.6% from long distance across three contests.

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Amid Irving’s disappointing finals, many began referencing his past road struggles against the Celtics since leaving the franchise after two seasons in 2019 free agency. However, according to the 2016 NBA champion, playing in Boston against his ex-squad wasn’t the primary reason for his shortcomings.

On the “Locked on Mavericks” podcast at Monday’s media day, Kyrie Irving credited Boston’s No. 2-ranked defense (110.6 defensive rating) for stifling his offensive creativity. He added that the Celtics’ defense was historically elite, regularly forcing him to take difficult shots.

“We went against a great team,” Irving said. “It wasn’t like, ‘I can get isos every single time against everybody.’ We were going against one of the best defensive teams of all time, not one of the best defensive teams of just the past few seasons. That was a special group.”

However, Irving noted that he probably still could have worked on his shot selection in the title series.

“So, as much as my iso game wasn’t working, I just felt like I really settled for a lot of jump shots that I probably could have got closer to the rim,” Irving said. “And then a lot of shots I got at the rim, I definitely could have finished.”

Kyrie Irving looking forward to chance at redemption following 2024 NBA Finals letdown against Celtics

While Kyrie Irving shouted out the Celtics’ elite finals defense at media day, he also emphasized his motivation to bounce back this season.

According to Irving, he will do everything in his power to ensure he doesn’t experience another postseason letdown.

“There’s always a great chance to redeem yourself in competition, and I’m looking forward to utilizing that motivation,” Irving said.

“… So, I give credit to the Boston Celtics while also staying motivated myself to continue to be better and demand more out of myself, so I don’t perform at that level, and perform at a better level that I know I’m capable of.”

Dallas made a series of offseason moves, potentially bolstering its roster around Irving and Doncic. Most notably, the franchise acquired veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson in free agency. The four-time champion should alleviate pressure on Irving by providing the Mavericks with a more proven tertiary scoring option to kick the ball out to.

Dallas is again projected to be one of the Western Conference’s upper-echelon teams. However, it still faces stiff competition, with multiple powerhouses in its way, including the OKC Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Meanwhile, the Celtics retained essentially their entire championship roster that went 80-21 across last year’s regular season and playoffs.