Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic is a nightmare for anyone trying to defend him. And if you’re not defending Doncic, that means you’re trying to check Kyrie Irving.
Well, guess what? Celtics guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, you’re up.
It’s no great secret that Holiday will get the first crack at it in the NBA Finals. Game 1 is set for Thursday in Boston.
How does Holiday intend to slow down the Mavs’ dynamic duo?
“Pray,” he told reporters.
Holiday did get a bit more specific, and he will highly likely start off on Irving. The Celtics could move Jaylen Brown on Doncic and have White start on Mavs small forward Derrick Jones Jr.
No matter how the Celtics approach things, they are sure to have their hands full.
“It’s hard, but it’s fun,” Holiday said of the challenge that awaits. “They are the best scorers in the league and they’ve been doing it all their careers.”
This is Irving’s second Finals appearance and first with the Mavs. He won a title with the Cavaliers in 2016 and has since played for the Celtics and Nets. He says his run with Dallas is the “greatest” of his career.
Irving on that very subject: “To be able to now give wisdom and also speak from a place of experience. When you’re a young person, again, you’re trying to speed through life, you’re trying to get through everything.”
The Mavs’ role players will have to step up for them to have a shot against the favored Celtics, opined Zach Harper of The Athletic. “It starts with P.J. Washington, who didn’t shoot the ball particularly well against the Clippers or Wolves.
But his moments against the Thunder helped Dallas advance,” Harper wrote. “He’s going to need to let it fly and hit.
And we may need to see Derrick Jones Jr. take even more 3-pointers while hoping his playoff success (39.6 percent) holds. The Mavericks will also need Maxi Kleber’s shoulder to take some shots.”
