When you think of the best point guards in the NBA, the first two players that come to mind are Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard. Both of these players have had iconic moments in the NBA for over a decade.
Irving and Lillard are both talented and difficult players to play against. And the game knows a play when it sees one.
In a recent podcast, Lillard revealed a secret about what makes Irving so difficult to play against, and for another elite point guard to say something about Irving is a big deal.
Lillard sat on the Podcast Club 520and named Irving as his toughest opponent to defend one-on-one. First, it was Donovan Mitchell who said Irving was his most difficult opponent to defendNow it’s Lillard who says Irving is his toughest opponent to defend one-on-one. To have another All-Star praise him is huge for him and shows that he’s still one of the NBA’s elite point guards at age 32.
“You can defend him perfectly, he’ll still make it,” Lillard said. “Either hand, hit him, draw a foul [him]he [going] to do it when it doesn’t seem difficult either.
Irving has been difficult to defend because of his ball-handling abilities, and his clutch gene for fourth-quarter shots. Some NBA players only have the ability to shoot effectively with one hand, but Irving has the ability to shoot with both. Irving hit a buzzer-beater with his left hand over Nikola Jokic to win a game in March 2024. Although his dominant hand is his right, Irving has shown off his left-handed skills. The look on Tim Hardaway Jr.’s face when Irving hit the buzzer-beater speaks volumes about Irving’s talent.
“It can turn into a successful shot,” Lillard said.
One-on-one play is useful for making a player dominant, and Irving has the ability to line up with the player he wants at the exact moment he wants them. Irving gets into his rhythm one-on-one, which allows him to gain confidence and become unstoppable. When Irving gets hot, he’s hard to stop.
With two All-Stars praising Irving, it could give him more confidence in his game after his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks. Irving averaged 25.6 points per game, and with the All-Stars praising him, it could encourage him to have a better season with Luka Doncic and Klay Thompson on board.
Irving’s play is often praised after a great season last season, and now is the time for Irving to back up all that praise. Dallas appears to be the perfect place for Irvingand he’ll be hungry to help the Mavs return to the Finals in 2025, but this time to win it.
