Kyrie Irving has developed a passion for defense and a Mamba Mentality. As he becomes more dominant than ever, so will the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After playing the best basketball of his career in the 2016 NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving is looking dominant against the best players the United States of America have to offer.
Team USA is being coached by the legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K was Irving’s college coach at Duke. Due to injury, Irving only played in 11 collegiate games. However, In those 11 games, Irving averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 52.9 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three.
Four years later, in 2014, Coach K coached Irving again, this time for Team USA in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Irving was named FIBA World Cup MVP after averaging 12.1 points, 3.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. He shot a blistering hot 56.2 percent from the field and 60.9 percent from three over the course of nine games.
Now, Coach K has the chance to teach the budding superstar even more about the game of basketball while he plays with, and goes against the world’s very best players.
The system that Coach K wants to implement will be familiar to Irving, as it is similar to that of Cleveland Cavaliers‘ head coach Tyronn Lue’s. Krzyzewski’s system is defensively-oriented. By playing an aggressive and suffocating defense, the team will be able to force turnovers and bad shots. Using their athleticism and skill, Team USA will attack the opposing team in transition.
Irving will possibly start alongside Klay Thompson, Paul George, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins. If he does, he feels confident in their defensive abilities behind him.
"“Basketball is fun when you’re getting stops,” Irving said. “You’re getting out, just playing a free motion basketball. For me, I love it, because I know I’m out pressuring the ball and I know I’ve got Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson and Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins — I have all these guys behind me on defense. That’s just an exciting game to watch and play.”"
The experience of playing in a defensive system with so much aggression and intent will allow Irving to continue his improvement on that end.
Though not known as a great defender for a better part of his professional career, Irving stepped up his defensive play in the 2016 NBA Finals. Though he didn’t always guard Curry well, he came up with key plays against the regular season MVP when it mattered most.
Irving has cited his improved conditioning as a reason for his defensive improvement. He also seems to have developed a passion for making plays on that side of the ball as well. Cleveland should be thrilled about their superstar’s defense.
On the other end of the court, Kyrie Irving will continue to channel his inner Kobe Bryant. Having the mindset of the Los Angeles Lakers legend will benefit the team.
"“In terms of a mental approach, as well as some technical stuff about the game, I’ll always go to Kobe, because he’s as polished as they come,” Irving told NBCSports.com, taking a break from shooting his latest ad for Kids Foot Locker, of which his is a primary spokesman. “If you’re talking about a who literally just physically imposed himself on the game every single day, and that mindset, oh I definitely going to talk Kobe.”"
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That’s the type of mindset that will allow the Cavaliers superstar to dominate now and in the future. Citing Kobe’s footwork, Irving will likely develop counter on top of counter as he posts up defenders. Kobe-like post skills will only enhance Irving’s offensive versatility and longevity.
Irving may be Cleveland’s Mamba and that’s perfect for a team that will employ LeBron James. If Kobe and LeBron were on the same team, it might look like Kyrie and LeBron being on the same team, if not better because of Irving’s ability to handle the ball.
Irving has also shown a willingness to accept tutelage from LeBron that, if this was Star Wars would make him the NBA’s version of Luke Skywalker, as he learns from the ghost of Obi Wan Kenobe and the aging legend Yoda.
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As Irving finds more ways to dominate the game, the Cleveland Cavaliers will reap the benefits on their way towards another NBA championship.