Three-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner Jamal Crawford believes that if Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving were to win the second title of his career in the upcoming NBA Finals, it could be more meaningful to the veteran than the title he won with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2016.
On the latest episode of Bully Ball, Jamal Crawford says if Kyrie can win a title with Dallas, it will be more meaningful than the ring he won in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/xCGVWsCqM3
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 3, 2024
“I think if Dallas wins this series, I think this championship can mean more to Kyrie than the one he got in Cleveland,” Crawford said.
In 17 games played with Dallas so far in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Irving is averaging 22.8 points per game on 48.5 percent shooting from the field and 42.1 percent from 3-point range. He’s also posting 3.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.
In Dallas’ win in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals — which secured the Mavericks their first NBA Finals berth since 2011 — he dropped 36 points on 14-of-27 shooting from the floor and 4-of-10 shooting from deep while also dishing out five assists.
Before Dallas dispatched the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, Irving and the Mavericks eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games in the second round of the playoffs and Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the opening round.
Dallas became the first team since the 2010 Los Angeles Lakers — who later went on to win that year’s title — to beat three teams who won 50-plus games during the regular season on its path to the NBA Finals.
While it would make for a memorable title run if Irving’s Mavericks were to finish the job against the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, the 32-year-old’s title run with the Cavaliers included the most improbable comeback in the history of the NBA Finals.
With the help of Irving, the Cavaliers became the first team in NBA Finals history to rally back from a 1-3 series deficit to win the championship series in seven games. The former Duke University star played at the top of his game against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors, considering he averaged 27.1 points per contest on 46.8 percent accuracy from the field and 40.5 percent shooting from 3-point range.
All in all, it’s open to debate as to whether Irving winning a title with the Mavericks in 2024 would mean more to him than the championship he won playing alongside arguably the best player in NBA history in LeBron James.
