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[Saba Sports News] Kevin Garnett has been very impressed by Kyrie Irving this season. On the Stephen A. Smith Show, Garnett noted that Irving poses a significant threat to the Minnesota Timberwolves and exudes a spirit similar to Kobe Bryant.
“Kyrie is on another level of offense, knowledge, and one-on-one play,” Garnett said.
“Kyrie walks around with the Kobe spirit. You know what you’re looking at, you know what you are looking for. You’ll see a lot of Bean in Kyrie right now. He’s calm, confident, leading, and focused on basketball. I love his peace. We all go through a growth process, and now we’re seeing a more mature Kyrie that is electrifying. He’s been doing this since Ramadan, I don’t know if you’ve been watching… Ramadan Kyrie was a motherf*****.”
Despite some past criticisms, Garnett acknowledged that Irving has avoided any controversy this season and played a crucial role in the Dallas Mavericks’ second-half surge. Irving shone even while fasting during Ramadan, averaging 26 points per game and helping the Mavericks secure the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record.
In the playoffs, Irving continued his strong performance, helping Dallas defeat the Los Angeles Clippers and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. He has averaged 21.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game this postseason, maintaining a laser focus reminiscent of his idol, Bryant.
The Mavericks now face their toughest challenge yet in the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves. Irving may need to adopt a more aggressive scoring approach if the Mavericks are to advance further.