Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving described the ongoing playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder as one of the most difficult he's played.
in Game 5, shared his thoughts on the physically demanding nature of the Western Conference semifinals, describing it as “one of the hardest series I’ve ever played.” This win pushed the Mavericks to a 3-2 series lead, bolstered by Luka Doncic channeling"It’s just really just the pace and just the physicality," Irving said. "And last series was physical, too, and the pace was a little different. But I think just this series, it’s challenged me physically, mentally, emotionally.
"They’re keeping somebody on me that’s athletic, that’s going to make it tough on me," Irving said. "So I don’t mind giving myself up in order to create opportunities for my teammates, and I like to see them do well." While some players may be unwilling to give up scoring performances in the way Irving has done, he admitted reaching such a stage required him to mature in the past. He doesn't want to fall into what he described as being a "trap" of fixating on scoring. He's prepared to be aggressive in taking tougher shots if needed, but he doesn't feel the situation has called for it yet.
Leadership has been a significant focus for Irving, especially given the young makeup of the Mavericks’ roster. Irving and Doncic have been tasked with guiding the team through the playoffs, a responsibility both have taken seriously. “When our guys are making shots, especially threes out of the corner or that wing, it creates a lot of opportunities for me and Luka to get downhill because they’re showing a lot of help, they’re showing a lot of bodies,” Irving explained.
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