Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving Previews NBA Finals Showdown Against Boston Celtics

Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving is set to compete in his fourth NBA Finals, with his latest being against his former team, the Boston Celtics.

May 30, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) during the third quarter in game five of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — In his first entire season with the Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving helped guide the organization to a 50-win season and a trip to the NBA Finals. There is a strong sense of anticipation for facing one of his former teams, the Boston Celtics, with a championship on the line.

“It was a tough road to get back here, so I’m just appreciating all the little steps it took and all the people that helped me grow. It really challenged me in a healthy way to be better, outside of me challenging myself," Irving said. "There’s been a great reflection period the last couple of days, thinking about not only the past few years but also what we accomplished this year in such a short period of time and how we galvanized the city of Dallas and our fans.

"It feels like we have the whole world supporting us throughout this endeavor," Irving explained. "I’m appreciative and grateful for everything I had to go through and everything my teammates had to go through to get here with me. So, it was good.”

May 30, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) during the third quarter in game five of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Irving, who played two seasons for the Celtics in 2017-19 before joining the Brooklyn Nets to team up with Kevin Durant, views his time in Boston as a being a "great opportunity to do some special things, but it was cut short due to person reasons on my end." He found value in his time spent as a member of the Celtics. "I had a great time in Boston, being able to learn and grow as a person," he said.

Regarding what he gained from his time with the Celtics, Irving credits his time with the organization for helping him to grow as a leader coming off his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers tenure. "One thing I look back on from my time in Boston, and I’ve said this over the past few years, is that it somehow gets tossed under the rug," he explained. "The greatest thing I learned from Boston was being able to manage not only my emotions but also the day-to-day aspects of being a leader of a team, or one of the leaders. Having young guys around you with their own goals means you have to learn to put the big picture first."

What Irving can take away from his time in Boston pertains to dealing with challenges and leadership. “Just think about moving on to the next thing. Learning how to move on and let go of the past is important," he said. "It could cripple you if you allow it to."

Irving acknowledges that as one of the NBA's elite players, a situation with talented players who didn't win a championship would result in him drawing fair criticism. He envisions more details about the situation potentially revealed after he's retired or when appropriate.

"I’ve been bombarded with Boston questions since I left, and people are trying to figure out what actually happened," Irving said. "Again, I think the full story will come out probably when I’m retired or when it’s appropriate. I didn’t mind taking the brunt of the blame after a few years. As one of the best players in the world, I know it comes with fair criticism."

When further reflecting on his Celtics tenure, Irving did feel he could have been extended "a little more grace" for personal stuff he was dealing with at the time. He highlighted the maturity that was necessary as someone who entered the NBA at age 19, admitting he wasn't his best self in Boston.

"A little more grace could have been extended my way, especially considering what I was dealing with during that time as a human being," Irving explained. "I know sometimes in sports, it’s about the end goal and the result. But we’re still human at the end of the day. I wasn’t my best self during that time. When I look back on it, I see it as a time where I learned how to let go of things and talk through my emotions. I came into the league at 19 years old, not knowing how to be a young man yet. This whole lifestyle was thrown at me, and I was expected to do wondrous things, but I just wanted to continue to develop as a human being. Once I put that first, you see me flourishing now. So, it feels good.”

Irving felt he established great bonds with some teammates that extended beyond the court, with players still on the team like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford. He alluded to off-court adversity the team navigated during his time with the Celtics

"Leaving those guys like [Jayson Tatum] and [Jaylen Brown], and some of the guys still on that team like Al Horford, or even Marcus Smart who got traded away, we had a great time to bond and go through some tough times, not just on the court," Irving said.

During his time with the Celtics, Tatum and Brown were in the early stages of their careers, and he's seen tremendous growth from them since. “I mean, they’ve improved tremendously," he said. "They’ve made a few All-Star games since I left, ECF MVPs. I’m nothing short of proud of those guys for what they’ve been able to do."

Irving felt he left his former Celtics star teammates with wisdom and has continued to share some advice even while playing for the Nets and Mavericks. He wants them to feel as though he can be someone they can lean on off the court when they aren't competing.

"I left a lot of good wisdom with them, tried to give as much advice while I was there and also when I went to Brooklyn and came to Dallas," Irving said. "Just being able to extend a brother-to-brother relationship with them, letting them know I have their back no matter what. This basketball stuff is going to be competitive, and we’re going to go at each other, but getting to know them as human beings, they’re really special people, alongside others I got a chance to know in the Boston organization.”

When facing the Celtics at TD Garden since his departure from the team, Irving has continued to draw significant attention from the crowd with boos and exchanges with courtside fans. This happened as recently as May 1 when he played in Boston for the first time as a member of the Mavericks. He feels he's better at managing emotions now but did acknowledge the way he handled the crowd with the Nets in his most recent postseason matchup "wasn't a great reflection" of him. He was seen flipping off some members of the crowd in 2022.

“I think I’m better at consolidating my emotions now or being aware of what it’s going to be like. We call it animosity, we call it hate, we call it—it’s going to be hell in Boston," Irving said. "There are real-life circumstances going on in the world that are bigger than the basketball, the competitive side of things, and answering those questions. But I will say, the last time in Boston wasn’t the best. Not this regular season, but when we played in the playoffs and everyone saw me flip off the birds and lose my composure a bit, that wasn’t a great reflection of who I am and how I like to compete at a high level. It wasn’t a great reflection for the next generation on what it means to control your emotions in that type of environment, no matter what people are yelling at you.

"I’m built for these moments, to be able to handle circumstances like that, and I’ve been able to grow since then. Of course, it’s going to be a hectic environment, but I’m looking forward to it and I see it as a healthy relationship to have with the fans," Irving explained. "I almost think about gladiators winning the crowd over. It’s good to hear the TD Garden silent when you’re playing well; they still respect great basketball. So regardless of the attention being paid to what it’s going to be like on my end, I have a group to lead that’s going to be looking to me for a voice of peace, to control what I can control and help them through it. I’ll take the brunt of all the yells and remarks, but I’ve been able to grow since then and acknowledge that I can handle things better.

"Especially when I want to put the majority of my energy towards playing well, I can’t be getting into it with fans like that, even though it may be fun at times," Irving concluded. "It’s a waste of energy, a waste of my time, and a waste of my talent trying to answer questions from the past. People are going to bring up the record and all the extra stuff. There are days with idle time in between, so you see the media pundits doing their normal things. Cool. But yeah, I’m looking forward to the challenge on the court against the Boston Celtics and being able to lead my guys.”

At this stage of his career, Irving has emerged as a vital leader to the Mavericks next to Luka Doncic, averaging 22.8 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 17 postseason performances. He's provided a necessary backcourt threat to take pressure off Doncic on the court, has embraced making a defensive impact, and is willing to even set a lot of screens for teammates.

Beyond the basketball court, Irving feels he's benefited from learning how to not put too much weight on being the best player in the world but finding the personal balance with what matters most, such as his wife and kids, and being a positive influence in the community.

“At this point in my life, I have kids, a wife, and responsibilities that are bigger than basketball. So, it’s easy to put the game in perspective," Irving said. "When I was younger, I wanted to strive to be one of the best in the world, and that’s all I thought about every single day. All my eggs were in that basket. There was no normal life outside basketball, other than doing what young NBA players do, getting into stuff they shouldn’t, and being around people who don’t reflect the moral values I want to embody."

In Dallas, Irving leans on his relationship with head coach Jason Kidd, someone he admired while growing up in New Jersey and watching him on the Nets. Seeing how Kidd has dealt with criticism has only helped him to do the same with the Mavericks. There has been value found in being on a team where basketball remains at the forefront of focus.

"I’m speaking for myself, but I think it spills over to my peers too. Coming to Dallas and being around J Kidd, someone who can talk to me about being imperfect, making mistakes, redeeming oneself, persevering, and still answering to the naysayers, has been impactful," Irving said. "It’s not easy for him, or for Luka, dealing with things throughout his life, being in another country, trying to lead a franchise. I could list every person dealing with something personal, pushing it to the side to sacrifice for the team. I’m right alongside them.

"Dallas has put the main thing in front of me, allowing the big picture to manifest and having fun in the process," Irving explained. Being around guys who enjoy being honest about how they feel, this new generation has a different communication pattern. Once you figure that out, they’ll be loyal to you, and you’ll be loyal to them. It’s a great relationship. That’s what I’m looking forward to as I continue to grow in the league: talking about this refreshing start in Dallas. It’s given me a chance to grow as a person, a man, a father, and a brother. The added bonus is getting better as a basketball player, bridging the gap between being a young player and a peer.”

Entering his fourth NBA Finals, Irving is grateful to be healthy. His previous series at this stage occurred in 2017 with the Cavaliers, and he revealed dealing with having two screws in his knee and powering through pain and laboring.

"How are my emotions different this time around? Oh yeah, I’m healthy, man," Irving said. I don’t have two screws in my knee. Going into it, I’m not laboring secretly or taking any antibiotics or painkillers I’m not supposed to. That’s all part of the sport, but it creates an unhealthy relationship when you’re laboring and trying to fix yourself through unnatural means. It feels good to be healthy and have a solid grounding going into it. We just have to hold on a little bit longer, keep playing hard, and doing the little things to get us the championship.”

As a leader who has extensive postseason experience, Irving's message to his teammates who are playing in their first NBA Finals is to appreciate the stage and be careful with how messages are communicated in the media. There is coverage provided from journalists from all over the world with the attention being higher than players who haven't been in this setting have ever experienced. The cameras tend to catch anything that happens away from the court while comments taken in a controversial way can create distractions.

“My advice to the younger guys is to enjoy every single moment and not allow any psychological media wars to happen where we get into words and mincing stuff," Irving said. "Don’t let anyone distract or divide us. This is going to be an international finals; everybody’s going to be watching. Every finals is international, but this time, the world is watching. So, any little thing you do, someone’s waiting to pick up on it. You just have to find a consistent message and stick to it. This is just business."

The first game of the series will take place on Thursday at TD Garden. Irving will look to end a 10-game losing streak against the Celtics despite him averaging 20.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists. The most recent meeting between these two teams was a blowout loss for the Mavericks with the only other meeting of the 2023-24 season being before Dallas' trade deadline moves.

Stick with MavericksGameday for more coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Playoffs.

Follow Grant Afseth on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.