LeBron James and Kyrie Irving made multiple trips to the NBA Finals together during their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning a ring in 2016.
This year, Irving is back in the NBA Finals for the first time without James as a teammate. The veteran point guard has thrived this season alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas, and averaged 22.8 points and 5.2 assists per game in the Mavericks’ run through the Western Conference.
“[I’m] so [expletive] happy and so proud to watch him continue his growth, and at the same time, I’m [expletive] mad that I am not his running mate anymore,” James said on his “Mind The Game” podcast with JJ Redick.
“I have so many words to praise Kyrie that I end up with absolutely none,” James continued. “He’s the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen. He has the best gifts I’ve ever seen of any NBA player.”
In the NBA Finals, Irving and the Mavericks will take on the Boston Celtics. It’s a matchup that has some added meaning for the eight-time All-Star, considering how poorly his tenure in Boston ended and the animosity the Celtics fan base still carries for him.
“I don’t mind, after a few years, taking the brunt of the blame (for my time in Boston not working out),” Irving said recently. “(I’m) one of the best players in the world so I know what comes with that fair criticism. You know, it’s just that a little bit more grace could have been extended my way, especially with what I was dealing with during that time as a human being.”
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
[ Athlon Sports ]