After the Celtics defeated the Mavericks 119 to 110 on Monday night, most of their opponents were in awe of the winners’ performance as they improved their NBA-best 34-10 record this season. Even though Boston has enjoyed a stable roster throughout the years, Dallas star Kyrie Irving believes they are now stronger than ever with the trades they did during the summer.
Led many years by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the team feels even tighter after acquiring lethal center Kristaps Porzingis and one of the best defensive guards in the league, Jrue Holiday. After a couple of back-to-back campaigns contesting for the NBA title, many believe this might be the year the trophy returns to Massachusetts.
The Mavs veteran has played for many strong teams during his 12-year career, even winning the 2016 NBA championship alongside LeBron James, but he’s convinced that there are few rosters as balanced as the current Celtics team.
Celtics own Kyrie Irving#CurseOfLuckyTheLeprechaun pic.twitter.com/e2zKhWChCM
— GreenRunsDeep (@CelticsGRD) January 23, 2024
“We didn’t get to see their full team tonight like we saw against Denver, but I have to give them credit, man,” Kyrie said postgame. “They have done incredibly well this season and finished last season pretty strong and making some changes, making some trades. And you can tell they found their chemistry. They found the guys that are going to get them over that hump.”
Even though Irving ended the match with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists during 36 minutes of play, he revealed that he’d sprained his thumb during the match, which affected his aggression throughout the evening. Despite playing against the league’s top team, he felt Dallas had a real chance of beating the Boston.
“Tonight, we went against an offensive juggernaut,” the veteran claimed. “I feel like we held them to some pretty good percentages, just didn’t succeed in that second half where we had a chance to secure the lead or at least get closer than we were.”
His co-star Luka Doncic pretty much shared his teammate’s views: “It’s not easy at all. That’s why I think they’re number two or three in the NBA. I mean, it’s very tough. That’s why they’re number one in the NBA. They’re very good in defense, and obviously, they’re very good in offense. So it’s very tough to face them.”
Star Jayson Tatum admits he feels incredibly ‘fortunate’ to play alongside Porzingis and Holiday
The Celtics made two bold moves last summer when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis, one of the league’s most versatile big men, and former Bucks star Jrue Holiday. These two have relieved Tatum and Brown from most of their defensive duties and have concentrated on playmaking.
“They’ve been great,” Jayson said of the additions.” Porziņģis adds a different layer and something we haven’t had before as a low-post presence who can shoot from deep as tall as he is and protect the rim. He makes it really tough to guard. With Jrue, he’s a proven champion. He’s been an All-Star a couple times. He can score. He’s one of the best defenders this league has seen in a long time. Just a great teammate. We’re very fortunate to have them.”
While the next matchup between both teams is set for March 1, Kyrie is still convinced that they will beat the Boston team when they meet again. For him, playing against the Celtics is a great way to understand if the Mavericks are truly title-contending calibre.
“Who knows what will happen down the next few months, but I wish them well,” Irving expressed. “And I know we see them in the next month or two. I’m looking forward to it.”
