DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are able to play their first match of the 2024-25 season NBA preseason Monday night time towards the Memphis Grizzlies. Kyrie Irving won’t take part within the recreationhowever he was the topic of debate whereas the Mavs saved Quentin Grimes spoke with journalists after the workforce’s morning shoot.
“Kai (Irving), sort of a very underrated defender, actually,” Grimes stated. “I performed towards him in Brooklyn and all the things.”
So what makes Irving an excellent defender?
“I imply…Normally good offensive gamers are fairly underrated defenders,” Grimes stated. “So I keep in mind in Brooklyn he was all the time actually good along with his fingers, he was getting his fingers on numerous balls… Get out in transition and get buckets. Kyrie, after I was in Brooklyn, I felt like he was all the time an underrated defender in my view.
As talked about earlier within the article, the Mavs tackle the Grizzlies on Monday night time. This implies Sensible Marcus is in Dallas. Sensible, an elite defender, additionally spoke with ClutchPoints about Kyrie Irving’s defensive means.
“Being within the league so long as I’ve, taking part in towards Kai and taking part in with him, he’s underrated (defensively),” Sensible instructed ClutchPoints. “I believe his scoring prowess is such that nobody actually cares if Kyrie performs protection that a lot or nobody actually pays consideration to his protection. He isn’t paid to return right here and play protection, he is paid to return right here and put the ball within the hoop…He is a participant the place he goes unnoticed defensively as a result of nobody expects him to do it.
“I’ve seen Kyrie play towards him and watch him, I’ve seen Kyrie sit and lock on somebody too, when the sport is on the road, that is for certain.”
Kyrie Irving appears to be like to play essential function for Mavericks protection

The Mavs offense ought to be a deadly scoring unit. The protection, nevertheless, is extra unsure.
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Dallas is however assured. Maybe Irving will play a vital function for the defensive unit. Grimes thinks total protection is “scary underrated.”
“I really feel like this workforce defensively… We’re scary underrated,” Grimes stated.
The Mavericks may gain advantage from large defensive seasons from facilities Derek Vigorous II and Daniel Gafford. Each shall be thought-about potential defensive anchors given their rim safety prowess. Klay Thompson remains to be a decent defender, whereas gamers similar to Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes must also be capable to assistance on the defensive aspect of the courtroom.
The Mavericks are assured of their protection.