Celtics News: Kyrie Irving Has Shocking Praise for Boston After Finals Loss

Ricardo Klein | 22 Hours Ago

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics are one of, if not the best, team in the league. They proved that last year and this year is no different. As things stand, the Celtics picked up right where they left off.

They are the favorites to win the NBA title and should be one of the last teams in the standings in June. The Celtics have all the pieces to go back-to-back. Not only do they know it, but so do other teams and NBA players, including All-NBA guard and champion Kyrie Irving. 

Irving was on Twitch with streamer and YouTuber Kai Cenat, and he had some high praise for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of the so-called superteam out of Boston.

“We lost in the Finals last year, bro. You don't think I'm a little more motivated? We were right there. We were going against a superteam.”

"We were right there. We were going against a superteam."

Kyrie Irving on the Mavs-Celtics 2024 NBA Finals 👀

(via @KaiCenat/ Twitch)pic.twitter.com/DYXTYtPxT0

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 30, 2024

The former Celtics player has a lot of respect for his former team and teammates. In October, Irving reminisced about what the Celtics did to capture the Larry O'Brien trophy over his Dallas Mavericks. 

“I have always known that going against some guys that I've played [with] is always going to be some of the toughest,” Irving stated. “Playing against Jrue Holiday, [Jayson Tatum], [Jaylen Brown], even Derrick White and Al Horford. That starting five with [Kristaps Porzingis] thrown in there, they had a great defensive group, and they play extremely well off each other on the defensive end.

“It wasn’t like I could get isos every 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… I give credit to the Boston Celtics.”

Irving and his Mavericks lost to the Celtics in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals. The Celtics dominated in two of their four wins, had an offensive rating of 111.0, and averaged 101.6 points per game. 

Boston was and continues to be a force to be reckoned with. 

Irving spent two seasons in Boston and averaged 24.1 points per game, 4.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from three in 127 games. 

After two years in Boston, Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency. 

After three-plus years there, he was traded to the Mavericks, where he is a catalyst. Iriving knows it will take a lot and then some to beat Boston when it matters most. 

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