WEST ORANGE, NJ — Kyrie Irving is headed back to the NBA Finals.
The West Orange native, one of the best players in the league, will lead the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. Game 1 is Thursday, June 6, and Game 2 is Sunday, June 9, in Boston. Irving previously played for the Celtics for two seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19).
The 32-year-old dynamic point guard helped the Mavericks to a 4-1 series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. He and fellow superstar Luca Doncic each scored 36 points in the clinching 124-103 win on Thursday, May 30. Irving had 30 points in the 108-105 win in Game 1, and 33 points in the 116-107 win in Game 3.
In 17 games this postseason, Irving has averaged 22.8 points and 5.2 assists per game.
Irving is in the NBA Finals for the fourth time in his illustrious 13-year career. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA title with megastar LeBron James in 2016, when the team defeated the Golden State Warriors. The Cavs and Warriors met in the NBA Finals in four straight years, with the Warriors winning in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Irving joined the Mavericks after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023. He played three-plus seasons in Brooklyn (2019-20 to 2022-23). Irving, drafted No. 1 overall in 2012 out of Duke University, spent his first six seasons in Cleveland before playing in Boston for the next two seasons.
The Celtics had the best record in the NBA regular season at 64-18. Dallas was the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 50-32 record.
Photo Courtesy of Dallas Mavericks
West Orange’s Kyrie Irving leads Dallas Mavericks to NBA Finals added by Joe Ragozzino on
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