Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving needs to play better, he told his “Hermano” Luka Doncic

Kyrie Irving struggled to score in the first two games of the NBA Finals, averaging just 14 PPG on 35% from the field. That’s a far cry from the 27 PPG average he averaged in the Western Conference Finals. Due to a lack of points, the Mavericks are down 2-0 and he takes the blame for it. At least that’s what he told Luka Doncic

Irving met with the media on Tuesday afternoon and was asked about his conversations with Doncic before Wednesday’s Game 3.

“It started with me,” Irving said, “I just told my hermano that I had to play better for him, alongside him, so that we could achieve our goal. We both have to play well and we both have to deal with the little things and doing whatever it takes to win… I just let him know it’s my fault, I take responsibility for playing poorly, but I also have to trust my guys around me and do well have fun with it.

READ MORE: Former Mavericks Champion Says ‘There’s No Way’ Luka Doncic Can Become The Greatest Individual

Irving has been calling Doncic his “hermano,” which means brother in Spanish, throughout the season. The two are much more connected this season than after the deal that brought Irving to Dallas at the 2023 trade deadline, and they have spent more time together off the court, at dinners and in each other’s homes.

They were a dynamic duo this season, averaging 59.5 PPG during the regular season and played a key role in helping the Mavericks return to the Finals for the first time in 13 years. Still, these Finals didn’t go the way Irving would have expected when playing against his former team, the Boston Celtics.

Irving has held this position before, trailing 2-0 in the Finals and struggling to score, totaling 36 points on 12-of-36 (33.3%) shooting in the first two games of the 2016 Finals. In the remaining five games, Irving averaged 30.8 PPG while shooting 50.8% from the field and made one of the most iconic shots in NBA history to come back and defeat the Golden State Warriors 73-9.

If Dallas is to come back in this series, Irving will need to play at his absolute best and Doncic will need to perform Luka Magic.

The third game will take place on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. CST in Dallas.

READ MORE: Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis Suffers ‘Rare’ Injury In Game 2 Against Mavericks

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