Kyrie Irving discusses the harsh criticism that Luka Doncic endured.
After the Dallas Mavericks lost the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics 3-0, Kyrie Irving addressed the harsh criticism directed at Luka Doncic.
After the game, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made some particularly scathing remarks about Doncic that immediately gained popularity.
According to Windhorst, “his defensive play is unacceptable” on ESPN. He is the court’s weak link. The Celtics are attacking him, and since they have attacked him defensively, they are leading the series. He is making his squad pay.
Now that Doncic has rebounded in Game 4, winning 122-84 and scoring 29 points in three quarters, Irving said Doncic has made his detractors seem foolish.
“I think he made a few people eat their words,” Irving said after Game 4. “I’ll say that in a healthy way… I think this is his first taste of what it’s like to be on this stage and not play up to your capabilities… He responded very well. I think I expected it. I think a lot of people expected it that have seen Luka.”
Irving also mentioned how vehemently Mavs coach Jason Kidd defended Doncic against the harsh criticism he has been subjected to.
“If you’re talking sh*t about one of our teammates and you’re not out there playing with us, it’s going to be hard for us to connect,” Irving remarked. “We will not pursue it. You’re stating that, and not just from us—our head coach as well.
Next up for the Mavericks is a trip to Boston for Game 5, which gets underway on Monday night.