The Dallas Mavericks took a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals with a 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kyrie Irving played a big role in the win with 14 of his 33 points coming in the fourth quarter. The eight-time All-Star labeled himself as one of the best players in the world following the big night.
Speaking to the media at his post-game press conference, Irving stated:
Ever since I was young, I always felt like I was one of the best in the world because I’m able to play with other great players. I don’t ask for the ball and demand it. I will play defense. I will do all the other things that don’t show up in the stat sheet and that’s always what I want to be remembered as.
Everything else that people have thrown on my career has been up to them and what they’ve seen. I have to take that. I have to take that fair criticism, but how I feel as a person when I go out there is a confident mfer.
While Irving has faced criticism for his lack of availability, his status as a top player should not be questioned. He has 26.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks per game over the past five seasons. The Mavericks star has shot 49.3% from the field, 39.9% from three-point range and 91.2% from the free-throw line.
Irving is within one win of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in seven seasons. Now in his 13th season, the eight-time All-Star will have the opportunity to silence his critics by winning a second championship.
Kyrie Irving praises Luka Doncic for his clutch play
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have both shown the ability to come up big in clutch moments. The one-time NBA champion praised his teammates closing ability during his post-game press conference, stating:
I think he’s shown over and over whether he’s made them or missed them, he’s taken them. That’s the confidence you need to have, especially in those clutch situations. You’ve got to have that confidence and you can’t be thinking about anything else other than your mechanics and your fundamentals.
Irving and Doncic have done a great job of playing off of one another. The duo are one win away from leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals in their first full season as teammates.
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