"Leave him the hell alone": Former NBA champion advises Celtics fans to not push Kyrie Irving in 2024 NBA Finals
The 2024 NBA Finals pose an interesting storyline with Kyrie Irving battling against his former team, the Boston Celtics. The relationship between the organization and the eight-time NBA All-Star has not been all good and Celtics fans are bringing up the past heading to this best-of-seven series against the Dallas Mavericks.
As NBA analysts feast on this upcoming marquee matchup, Kendrick Perkins, a former Boston Celtics center and NBA champion, advised the team's fan base not to say something that will trigger Irving to unlock his full potential.
"I will offer some advice to the fanbase of the Celtics and that is to leave [Kyrie Irving] the hell alone," said Perkins. "Leave him alone because you're not the ones that have to go between those lines and actually guard this man."
Kyrie Irving played for two seasons with the Boston Celtics from 2017 to 2019. Injuries prevented the former Duke Blue Devil from reaching his true potential with the team that already had a young Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
This led Irving to not resign with the Celtics in the off-season but instead, he formed a super team with Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan with the Brooklyn Nets. This move by Irving left a nasty taste in Boston fans, especially after wiping his shoe on the Celtics logo back in May 2021.
Kendrick Perkins stresses that there is one player over the other between Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving
The Dallas Mavericks have been led by Luka Doncic since getting drafted in 2018. After failed attempts to maximize his tandem with Jalen Brunson and Kristaps Porzingis, the organization made a move to acquire Kyrie Irving midway through the 2022-23 season.
After failing to make the playoffs last year, this team has retooled around the duo of Doncic and Irving. That led to the team getting to the peak of their Doncic era as they head into the 2024 NBA Finals.
Having Irving at Doncic's side, many believe that the Slovenian guard is still the alpha on the team but Perkins feels otherwise. The former NBA champion believes that the Mavericks are blessed with two leaders who can take the load off from each other.
"Right now, Kyrie Irving has been in the zone. [There is] no Batman or Robin on this Dallas Mavericks team. It's a Batman and it's a Superman," said Perkins. "Both of those guys are the leaders of this team and both of those guys on any given night, between [Irving] and Luka could be the best player onhthe floor."
The Dallas Mavericks will open up the 2024 NBA Finals playing the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Massachusetts on June 6, Thursday. This is going to be the fourth appearance of Kyrie Irving in the NBA Finals and the first time with the Mavs.