Back in 2023, the Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving in a move that was criticized by many. A year later, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James acknowledged the one-time champion as a difference maker that can help Luka Doncic and company win a ring in the NBA Finals.
Before Irving made his way to Dallas, his two previous runs with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. His two-year run in Beantown was filled with various controversies after his presence in the lineup allegedly didn’t mesh well with other players.
After those two seasons, Irving teamed up with All-Star forward Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. They were joined later on by James Harden to form a promising trio but failed to translate their team-up into success in the playoffs. As a result, the alleged toxicity surrounding Irving lowered his overall value in the market.
Fortunately, the Dallas Mavericks took a chance on him when they traded for Irving last year. Now, his partnership with Doncic has led their team on a rampage during the playoffs as they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
LeBron James’ Revelation When He Realized Kyrie Irving and Dallas Mavericks Can Win NBA Title
Just like everyone, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in awe of Irving’s performance in the postseason. His Game 1 performance against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, in particular, made the four-time champion believe the Mavs can win it all this season, as written by Dave McMenamin for ESPN.
“That was like, ‘Oh s—, Dallas may be able to not only win the Western Conference finals, they might be able to win the whole thing,'” James said. “Because of that [Irving] wild card. … He’s the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen,” McMenamin wrote.
In that particular contest, Irving went out with guns blazing by dropping 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He also connected 52 percent of his field goals and 100 percent from the free throw line, but failed to sink any of his three attempts from downtown.
For sure, James will be rooting for his former teammate as Dallas will go up against Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. For his part, Irving will be back in the biggest stage of them all in a situation no one expected for him to return to.
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