“Pray!” – Jrue Holiday’s honest assessment on stopping Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving requires divine intervention 

The 2024 NBA Finals would see two great offensive teams clash against each other.

“Pray!” – Jrue Holiday’s honest assessment on stopping Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving requires divine intervention 

Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic

The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks are set to face off in the NBA Finals, with Game 1 tipping off on Thursday. Celtics guard Jrue Holiday knows that slowing down the Mavericks’ dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving is the key to grabbing the champion title. 

When asked how he plans to stop Irving in a one-on-one matchup, Holiday jokingly replied that they’d need divine intervention. Irving and Doncic have been scorching hot in the playoffs, combining for an average of 51.6 points per game. 

(On what can he do to nullify/thwart/stop Kyrie) Pray.

Jrue Holiday said in Wednesday’s press conference

Irving has shot a career-best 48.5% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range, while Doncic has nearly logged a triple-double every night with averages of 28.8 points, 8.8 assists, and 9.6 rebounds.

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Despite being part of one of the league’s top defensive backcourts alongside Derrick White, Holiday acknowledges that good defense alone won’t be enough to stop Doncic and Irving. The Celtics will need to come up with a solid game plan to contain the Mavericks’ explosive backcourt.

The series promises an exciting matchup between two of the league’s top teams. Whether the Celtics can find a way to slow down Doncic and Irving is a question that can only be answered on the court. 

Celtics’ Coach Joe Mazzulla urges team to look beyond Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is preparing his team for the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, acknowledging the challenges posed by Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. However, Mazzulla emphasized that the focus shouldn’t solely be on stopping the duo, as the game is interconnected and involves many factors beyond individual performances.

This series is going to be about stopping those two guys. There is no stopping them… So we're not here to stop those guys. We're here to play a complete game of basketball and have an understanding how each possession has an effect on everything else.
Joe Mazzulla said in press conference

Mazzulla stresses that the Celtics must play a complete game of basketball, considering offensive execution, turnovers, transition defense, and second-chance points. He noted that the Mavericks’ star duo is nearly unstoppable when in form, so the Celtics must defend them at a high level while maintaining control over all aspects of the game.

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He encourages his team to focus on what they can control and maintain a well-rounded game to secure the championship. This strategy will be crucial as the Celtics face the Mavericks, who have played nine close games in the playoffs, and arguably have the best player or players in the series.

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