“It’s going to be a chess match, and I’m looking forward to it.”
After the Mavericks officially clinched a position in the NBA Finals versus the Celtics, at least some of the attention naturally shifted to the Kyrie Irving-Boston storyline.
Irving, 32, will face the side he previously played for from 2017 to 2019. It’s not the first time he’s played against the Celtics since leaving as a free agency, nor is it his first postseason matchup in Boston. However, given the bad impression surrounding his tenure with the franchise (and subsequent departure), Irving’s response to meeting the Celtics was always going to be an interesting postgame moment.
Ernie Johnson brought up the matter briefly during an on-court interview following the Mavericks’ Game 5 win in the Western Conference Finals. When asked if he was “looking forward” to returning to Boston, Irving was direct.
“Yes, absolutely,” he replied. “Boston is in the way of our aim. “That’s it.”
Kyrie: "Boston is in the way between our goal." 🍿 pic.twitter.com/LqsCW0PxnV
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 31, 2024
Later, he appeared on “SportsCenter” for an interview with Scott Van Pelt. While the majority of the chat was on the Mavericks’ recent history and Irving’s playoff journey to the finals, Van Pelt couldn’t resist addressing the ex-Celtic about facing his former team.
“I’m at a point in my life where I don’t even think about those past experiences,” Irving said of his time in Boston. “I was able to unpack them in a healthy way, and move forward as a person.”
“I had a rough time there when I was in Boston, again, just dealing with a death in my family and a lot of off-court stuff that I wasn’t ready to handle,” Irving said, referring to his grandfather’s death in 2018. “Now that I’m in a good place to express how I’m feeling, I’m eager to return to Boston and have fun with my teammates. I know we’ll be locked in.”
From a Boston standpoint, his comments on the current Celtics team were far from bulletin board stuff.
“We’re going against a great Boston team that has earned their way to the NBA Finals,” Irving said. “So I just see them as a formidable opponent, an honest opponent, and we’re going to see the best team that wins.”
Irving is regarded as an experienced player on Dallas’ team. He is one of just two Mavericks (together with Markieff Morris) who have competed in the NBA Finals.
When asked what message he had for his younger teammates, particularly those who will play in Boston, Irving praised the Celtics even more.
“Stay focused, poised, and remember why we play basketball and who we do it for. “Don’t worry about the environment,” Irving said of the finals atmosphere. “It’s another basketball floor where we can paint on a canvas and enjoy ourselves. It’s the finals, but it’s still basketball at the end of the day.
“It’s going to be some high level players going at each other,” Irving said. “I’m grateful to be able to compete against a great coach and players in Boston.” I’m excited about the upcoming chess match. “I’ll just tell my guys to enjoy the moment.”
