The Difference Between Kyrie Irving's Eras With the Nets and Mavericks

Something changed when Irving was traded to the Mavs, and it helped them get to the NBA Finals.

Oct 27, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Former Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving dropped 36 points en route to securing the Dallas Mavericks an NBA Finals berth over the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday night. Irving and Luka Doncic combined for 72 points in the Game 5 blowout, and will move on to face another team Irving was a part of, the Boston Celtics.

Nets fans can't help but sigh in disappointment, as it was supposed to be their team going to the NBA Finals just a few years ago, with Irving and Kevin Durant as their superstar duo. What happened? Why has Irving found success with this team, and not his previous one? What changed?

Maturity

The first thing to note is that the New Jersey native is noticeably more mature as a second option on a championship contender. After Irving requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers, he tried to be the top dog on the Celtics, and as we know that did not work out.

Moving to Brooklyn, he had the opportunity to be the number two next to Kevin Durant. It took some adjustments, but things started rolling once the Nets acquired James Harden. Injuries hindered their run to the 2021 championship, but something internally must've caused a rift within the organization, resulting in Harden being dealt to the 76ers less than a year later.

There was talk of Harden being frustrated with Irving missing games due to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and Irving caused a ruckus in the sports community when he would go on Instagram live to try to explain his story to fans.

In Dallas, there isn't any drama, while in Brooklyn, there was a constant discourse on the KD-Irving-Harden trio. Irving knows that this is Doncic's team, and he is still a big part of getting this team to where they need to go as a leader who's been there before. He's done it multiple times alongside LeBron James, and it came with one championship.

Just listen to Irving's postgame press conferences. He sounds like a leader, but not a superstar. It's as if he carries himself like a Udonis Haslem, but plays like... well, I guess Kyrie Irving.

Natural, Not Artificial

How the Nets tried to get their way to a championship is light years behind the current way of winning in the NBA. Brooklyn tried to bring together as many names as possible. It started with Durant and Irving, then extended to Harden, followed by Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, and not to mention DeAndre Jordan.

It was all about the names, but what wins championships nowadays is the system you play under. The Mavericks have two unbelievable playmakers and closers at the guard positions. Playing with them are a bunch of role players who do their job so well. Derrick Jones Jr., PJ Washington, and Josh Green space the floor so well and are primarily used as spot-up shooters. Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford are elite pick-and-roll bigs who play strictly in the paint, creating a deadly offense orchestrated by Jason Kidd.

The way Brooklyn tried to run things was essentially to throw all of these big-name stars in the mix and see what happens, and Steve Nash couldn't do a single thing to control it.

Looking back, there were multiple factors that kept the Nets from reaching the promised land. It was a combination of poor judgement from the front office, and egos that collided, ultimately resulting in a messy breakup.

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