MAVERICKS HINDI SUSUKO

Dallas, United States -- Hinugot ni Kyrie Irving ang karanasan sa pagbabalik ng Cleveland sa 2016 NBA Finals habang sinusubukan niyang tulungan ang Dallas Mavericks mula sa 0-2 hole laban sa Boston Celtics noong Miyerkules.

Ang Mavericks ay nagho-host ng kanilang unang laro ng NBA Finals noong Miyerkules, desperado sa tagumpay matapos ibagsak ang pagbubukas ng dalawang road games ng best-of-seven series sa Boston noong nakaraang linggo.

Para kay Irving, ang sitwasyon ay pamilyar sa kanyang karanasan sa Cavaliers walong taon na ang nakalilipas, nang bumagsak ang Cleveland ng 2-0 sa dominanteng Golden State Warriors bago nag-rally at kalaunan ay nanalo sa serye 4-3 sa panalo sa ikapitong laro.

Si Irving, na sikat na nag-shoot ng game-winning na three-pointer sa series decider laban sa Warriors noong 2016, ay nakakita ng pagkakatulad sa pagitan ng kanyang nakaraan at kasalukuyan.

“It took a lot of will to win in 2016,” sabi ni Irving. “We had time to fail together. We had time to go through our trials together. We lost in 2015. A lot of guys came back in 2016 and we won. So there was an inner motivation there. We also knew who we were going against, how well they played.”

Sa halip na matakot sa hamon na ibinibigay ng top-seeded Celtics, nais ni Irving na tingnan ng kanyang mga kasamahan sa koponan ang kanilang sitwasyon bilang “isang pagkakataon na tumugon.”

“That’s all you can ask for in a basketball season,” sabi ni Irving. “If you asked me in September or October, would I want a chance to be down 0-2 and having a chance to respond in Game 3 or be out of the playoffs, I think I would choose the former. It’s as simple as that. We’re the only teams left. This is about chess. That’s all it is.”

Kung hahatakin ng Mavericks ang kanilang mga sarili sa canvas, alam ni Irving na kakailanganin niya ng mas produktibong laro matapos ang misfiring sa ngayon.

Sa laro isa at dalawa laban sa Boston, umiskor si Irving ng 28 puntos lamang at 13-of-37 mula sa sahig, at 0-of-8 mula sa three-point range.

“First thing is just accepting that I haven’t played well or up to my standards, as well as I would have liked,” saad ni Irving.

Naniniwala rin si Irving na ang mga scoreline mula sa unang dalawang laro ng serye ay hindi nagbibigay ng hustisya sa Dallas.

“The margin of their victories hasn’t really displayed the full story in terms of the Celtics beating us,” sabi ni Irving. “We just have to continue to lean in on each other, especially when it gets tough out there. We’re going against a great team. We know what we’re in for. But now we have to raise it to an even higher level, and it starts with me.”