Kyrie Irving on chemistry with Luka Doncic: 'We want to be challenged by the best'
DALLAS - Luka Doncic is 0-2 all-time against the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs.
When asked earlier this week about what is the difference now heading into this showdown with LA, Doncic didn't hesitate with his answer: Kyrie Irving.
On Thursday, Irving shared his awareness about how complex the narrative has become surrounding his career. He said his critics have called him a "chaos agent" and a "locker room cancer."
That can obscure the fact that Irving is an NBA champion, who in 2016 hit one of the biggest shots ever in Game 7 of an NBA Finals.
In 2016, a 24-year-old Kyrie Irving hit what's known in Cleveland as "The Shot." A three-pointer over Steph Curry with less than a minute left to put the Cavs up by 3 on the way to their first-ever NBA title.
8 years later, Irving reflected back on the life-changing shot.
"It's just one of those historical moments that I was poised and ready for. It's what me and my dad used to practice in the backyard pretty often. That's what I really take my mind to in those moments," said Irving.
By the numbers Kyrie has had plenty of success in the postseason. In 12 years, he's played in the playoffs 7 times and only been knocked out of the first round once.
In three of those playoff runs, Irving found success co-starring with LeBron James.
"It's a mutual respect there. When it was his time to take over games, when it was my time to take over games we allowed each other to do that," Irving said. "We also had to have some mother f'r moments to challenge each other."
Irving says he and Doncic have now created a similar ability to challenge each other during a game when the moment calls for it.
"I can look to Luka and be like, hey man, come on turn this up a little bit or he can be like, come on Kai. He'll say it in his language," he said.
That connection wasn't immediately there for Irving and Doncic. In their second game ever playing together, they infamously failed to get a shot off in the final seconds of a three-point loss.
That disconnect is a thing of the past.
"It didn't happen after the trade, but you can see since the preseason and the regular season the understanding is at a high and they both trust one another," said Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.
This March, the duo showed what they are capable of doing in crunchtime.
In the final minute, facing the defending NBA champ Nuggets, Doncic hit a game-tying three and then Irving hit an absurd lefty buzzer beater.
"We really raise our level in big games going against some of the greatest players in our league. We want to be challenged by the best and I think that's the championship pedigree you need," said Irving.
It's just not that Nuggets finish.
Jason Kidd pointed out this Dallas squad has been among the best in the NBA this year in close games. The Mavericks have the second-best winning percentage in crunchtime situations with a 23-9 mark.
That's a handy tool for the Mavericks as they go up against a Clippers team with four likely Hall of Famers.
Game 1 between the Mavericks and Clippers will be in LA on Sunday.
