Kyrie Irving blamed by Skip Bayless for letting Luka Doncic down after disappointing Game 1 outing vs. Celtics
FOX analyst Skip Bayless blamed Kyrie Irving for letting Luka Doncic down in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after the Boston Celtics clinched a dominating win against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Bayless took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his disappointment in Irving after the game and demanded a Game 2 redemption from the Mavericks veteran.
"Kyrie really let Luka down tonight. So disappointed in him. He owes this team a Game 2," Bayless tweeted.
Kyrie Irving had one of his worst outings on Thursday as the Mavericks were completely dominated by the Celtics with a 107-89 win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The former NBA champion recorded just 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the game.
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks' losing effort with a double-double performance of 30 points, 10 rebounds, one assista nd two steals.
The Celtics led by as many as 29 points in the game and maintained a lead throughout to secure the win at home. Meanwhile, the Mavericks' 89 points is the least scored by the team in the postseason. The team also only had nine assists compared to the Celtics' 23.
Kyrie Irving reacts to hostile reception by Celtics fans in NBA Finals Game 1
Ever since Kyrie Irving left the Boston Celtics to sign with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, his relationship with Celtics fans has been turbulent. In a rather common occurrence with Irving in the TD Garden, Celtics fans chanted "Kyrie sucks" after the eight-time All-Star committed a foul in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
In the post-game interview, Irving addressed the mocking roar of the Boston crowd, saying that he's used to it at this point.
"Being in this environment, I'm used to it at this point," Irving said. "Earlier in my career, there was a different relationship I had with Boston just being able to come here and settle in with a veteran group. Now I'm here as the veteran. Over the past few years, just experiencing the playoffs here, even regular season, it's been the same thing."
Irving also subtly took a jab at the Celtics crowd for not living up to his expectations in terms of mocking him.
"I thought it was going to be a little louder in here. But I'm expecting the same things going into Game 2, the crowd trying to get me out of my element," Irving said.
Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks will look to even the score in the NBA Finals with a road win over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 on Sunday.