Kyrie Irving: Mavs Must Play with ‘Smart Sense of Desperation’ in Game 5 vs. Celtics

Julia StumbaughJune 15, 2024

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Kyrie Irving says the Dallas Mavericks will need to play with “a very smart sense of desperation” to triumph over the Boston Celtics Monday in a must-win Game 5 at TD Garden.

“We have to play with a sense of desperation, a very smart sense of desperation,” Irving said Saturday on NBA TV after the Mavericks extended their postseason with a 122-84 blowout of the Celtics in Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals.

NBA TV @NBATV”We have to play with a sense of desperation; a very smart sense of desperation.” 💯

Kyrie on the mindset heading into Game 5 pic.twitter.com/SHhTAQTRUz

“We don’t want to go out there and just throw the ball and run in place, but we want to attack their weak points and continue to be efficient in the paint area,” Irving continued. “I think you saw a difference tonight, where we got into the paint early.”

Irving said the Mavericks were able to succeed under the basket in part due to the absence of Kristaps Porziņģis, the Celtics’ leading blocker. The big man was sidelined for a second straight contest Saturday after suffering a leg injury in Game 2.

The Mavericks went on to outrebound the Celtics 52-31, while outshooting them 60-26 in the paint.

“They have some shot-blockers in there, but their main shot-blocker’s not in there with KP being there, so we got to take advantage of that,” Irving said. “When they’re playing us one-on-one, we’ve got to take that challenge as well.”

Irving, who was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers roster that became the first NBA team in history to overcome a 3-1 Finals deficit in 2016, will now face the same disadvantage— and hope for a similar result— as the Mavericks take the series back to Boston.