Mavs’ Kyrie Irving Speaks After Win vs. Spurs: Feb. 14, 2024

Mavs’ Kyrie Irving Speaks After Win vs. Spurs: Feb. 14, 2024

Daughters into tennis he who knows what could happen out of that yeah try questions what’s it what’s it like to try to find ways to finish over you say what is it like yeah uh I mean for me personally uh from my perspective you know I remember the

First game of the season he was uh you know his entry to the league he blocked my shot his first I that you know what I’m saying uh right side of History um but yeah he he’s just a force down there and um he he has great timing you can

Tell he uh really studies the game well and on defensive end you know there not much that he can’t do uh so for him to um or for me to get the best of him on that one possession it felt good but um you know moving in the future I don’t

Know how many more I can get off on him just because of how much ground he covers but it was an exciting play I’m grateful I converted it you actually had a few finishes over him and you know with him or any elite shot blocker what what’s kind of the decisionmaking

Process for you as far as how to finish uh the first thing is no fear uh once you step in that paint uh you take off uh especially off of one foot or off for two feet you want to safely land um be aware of the contact know how strong The

Bigs are um before you attack and even if there’s a guard down there that’s a good Defender too um it it’s just a limit there athletic ability I have to be crafty around the room sometimes I could finish over guys but a lot of them are um you know trying to block shots

When I get close the rim so I like to play in that in between area between you know like 16 ft to like 1T you know and uh be uh very efficient down there so when I see bigs in front of me I feel like I have an advantage uh when I can

Use the rim as protection and um I know that I can convert it at a high rate so that’s what I’m thinking when I go to the Lane just be creative be imaginative um but also go to finish uh had a lot of coaches growing up um you know when I

Was playing on our teams and and they didn’t really like or appreciate some of my creativity in the air until I made my layups at a very high efficient rate so I I don’t blame them again um but a lot of practice I’ve been working on these finishes since about seventh e8th

Grade is that the rod Strickland influence that is Dr Irving influence um with my Uncle Rob being my godfather and um you know exemplifying great for 17 years in his own way uh playing in the NBA and U I didn’t get a chance to work

Out with him uh when I was growing up it was mainly just me and my dad uh but I got as I got older uh I started appreciating his journey a lot more um you know and he played 17 years in the NBA that’s no small feat so I’m really

Proud of him I’m I’m happy uh that I have a mentor in my life such as him that I can call on any single any time um and he gives me a ton of advice especially finish round those bigs which I appreciate you found a major rhythm in

The second quarter and for the remainder of the game uh was there anything that you saw or anything in particulars you know we had to get it going man we had to get it going um we had to manufacture the energy to be able to get the lead uh

At least going into halftime and we knew playing from behind against this team uh you know we we don’t want to leave it up to that we we wanted to put our foot on the gas pedal get out and on the break get some easy uh transition points and

Let everybody touch the ball feel good about it have a good Rhythm um and then you know most importantly just lock down on defense we we started uh paying attention start game plan that second quarter a little bit more I know Sweeney and jkid were happy about that but we

Got to demand that are out of ourselves in the beginning of the game but even if it doesn’t happen we still got to have that resilience and be able to battle back I feel like you I’ve seen a little more uh you and Luca two- main game over

The past few games what what have you liked from that what what what’s been working and you know is that gonna continue trending Direction yeah easy pickings you know easy pickings once we we get into that one three pick and roll or 31 pick and roll or on whatever you want to

Call it um it’s a high efficient play for us and when I’m making a decision on the back end or he’s making a decision on the back end that’s a successful play for our team but uh you guys getting Health here you one six in a row running

Going into the break on a nice role how do you feel about the just the uptick you’ve seen out of this team in the last you know couple weeks uh proud of our guys that we’re making incremental progress and uh it’s about us and everybody that’s in that locker

Room and uh staying focused and continuing to get our work in on off days and and do the little things to be prepared to to play um whatever amount of minutes that coach asked you to so I think once we matured in that sense of of being able to lock into our roles

Then you’re seeing uh some high level basketball High highly successful basketball being played Derek mentioned his excitement going into his first Allstar week any advice for him in that area yeah enjoy it uh I remember my first in Orlando um you know get a

Chance to uh pick a lot of guys brains a lot of your peers brains and it’s about you um you know you’ve been chosen as one of the rising stars and that’s no small feet he’s played well for us this season uh he he’s been a huge impactful

Player for us and I’m just happy for him that he gets to experience that being around some of the best in the world and uh really see what it’s like um some sometimes it can be overwhelming at first once you get there a little nerve-wracking but once the ball goes up

In the air and you see all the fans and and especially the kids the kids enjoyed that weekend the most and I don’t want to call um D the kid because he’s turned 20 so I don’t want to disrespect him but um you know it’ be good for him to play in

Front of his peers some of the kids there car how how pivotal and impactful has PJ Washington’s defense been for this SP very impactful very impactful uh we don’t take take it for granted and we appreciate him doing a little things for us to be successful in these last few

Games uh to get traded in the middle of the season is is not easy uh so we really feel for him um and going into this Allstar Break um you know even like tonight I told him I said you know once you play a few more games with us you

You’ll stop deferring to me and Luca and just be be yourself out there and command the ball uh you’re playing with some selfless individuals that are some big Gamers so uh we know the rhythm of the game and who needs to get involved um but tonight uh showed his maturity to

Be able to not shoot the ball particularly well not get as many shots not be involved in the offensive end but still commit himself to defensive end um that that that’s a um trait of a winner so we want him to continue that and last question sorry um you mentioned your

Father earlier and he was sitting there Court SES what does it feel like I know he’s been at many games but just what does it feel like for you to see in their court side supporting you and with a team that you found your peace and happiness with

Yeah my my dad’s proud of me he’s happy for me and I think he can speak for himself you know if you ever get a chance is to talk with not many people get a chance to get to know him uh know the foundation of where I come from

People just assume that I just dropped out of thin air and you know what I mean like my my parents are not involved or anything like that but my dad is uh truly influential in my life and he seen millions of my games so you know you

Guys are enjoying things that you know you get to see for the past few years my dad has seen it since I was four or 5 years old so um you know when we have our moments to talk about how I can get better those are the things I appreciate

But the most important role that he plays in my life is just being a great father and being there for me as a man um he’s imperfect I’m imperfect and he just consistently giving me advice and telling me that he’s an open book he’s

Seen a lot of life in this world he has a lot of experience he’s been around the league for a while too you know with my godfather being the NBA so he he’s been around the lifestyle he’s very familiar with it and um he just wants me to have

Peace of mind every single day I wake up and and knowing um you know I have a supportive Family behind me every single day you know this lifestyle could get very lonely sometimes when you’re in those hotel rooms or traveling and trying to be the best of the best not a

Lot of people understand not a lot of people get it so to have um you know one parent in my life or two parents with my stepmom as well um supporting me and means the world to me um going back to PJ and him trusting you got you know

Trusting himself but I know D has talked about trust within the team how much does that factor into like games like tonight and just games overall say that first part one time um about PJ yeah yeah about PJ trusting himself oh yeah how does trust overall factor in like

Games like tonight and just games overall oh yeah so it’s a huge Factor uh again I I’ll speak to his maturity you know we we don’t see I don’t want to say we don’t see a lot of young guys but sometimes it takes young guys a little

While it took me a while to figure out how to win uh with quality teammates and to fulfill a role without getting too emotionally stressed over playing well in the offensive end or not getting the ball especially playing with guys that are highly efficient um that’s an

Adjustment period but I feel like you know he’s integrated himself very well I know him being at Kentucky helped um you know not having the ball all the time and doing the little things so it’s the same thing here you playing with some high high level players that make the

Game easy you don’t have to overthink it you you do the the little things that help us win and we’ll be very successful and and that’s what I’m going to continue to reiterate him when we’re out there um and then moving forward we’ll get him a few more post-ups get him some

Touches when he needs to feel that Rhythm and you should answer all his questions

Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving spoke to reporters after the victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 14, 2024.

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