As the Dallas Mavericks prepare to face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, the spotlight is firmly on the Mavericks’ star duo, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks heavily relied on these two players throughout the Western Conference Final series. Hence, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is strategically focusing on how to counter this formidable pair.
During a recent press conference, Mazzulla candidly discussed the Celtics’ approach to the finals, stating the challenge of defending against Doncic and Irving.
“This series is going to be about stopping those two guys. There is no stopping them. They’re defending them at a high level, and they’re playing a complete game because every part of the game is connected. And so they’ve played nine close games, we’ve played four. There’s going to be close games,” Mazzulla said.
Mazzulla later admitted the difficulty of completely shutting down Doncic and Irving. So, his focus includes a broader strategy involving playing a comprehensive and connected game.
“They’re going to score. It’s what they do best. If we don’t take care of the things that are within our control, then that doesn’t put us in the best possible position to win,” Mazzulla added.
Derrick White Discusses the Challenge of Guarding Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving
After Joe Mazzulla, Celtics guard Derrick White shared his thoughts on the daunting task ahead to face Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
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“That’s the fun thing about being a guard in the NBA; every night, it’s somebody different, and obviously Kyrie and Luka are at the top of that list,” White said.
The Doncic-Irving partnership has been particularly remarkable throughout the series. In Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, Doncic and Irving made history as the first starting backcourt in the last 50 years to each score at least 30 points in the same game three times in a single postseason.
Their performance reached another level in Game 5, where Doncic and Irving scored 36 points each to advance the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
While Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been stellar for the Celtics, the team knows overcoming the Mavericks will require exceptional teamwork. The Celtics must focus on playing a game that matches the skill level that Doncic and Irving bring to the court.
Also Read: “I Had School the Next Day”- Luka Doncic Recalls Missing NBA Finals As a Kid.
