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When he’s on the court, Kyrie Irving is one of the most productive NBA point guards in the game. But there is a group of critics that constantly reminds him he hasn’t had much team success since he was with LeBron James.
The only time Irving reached the NBA Finals in his career was with James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For four straight seasons from 2014-2018, the Cavs reached the NBA Finals, and they brought a championship to Cleveland after defeating the Golden State Warriors during the 2015-16 season.
Since Irving requested a trade following the 2016-17 season after losing in the Finals for the third time in four years and landed with the Boston Celtics, he hasn't duplicated that success.
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LeBron James, left, and Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate after Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2016 NBA Playoffs May 2, 2016, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. (David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
But Irving isn’t giving the argument much credence.
"Pin this tweet and see what happens in the next few years," he wrote.
KYRIE IRVING RE-SIGNS WITH MAVERICKS FOR 3 YEARS, $126 MILLION: REPORT
Irving has been productive since leaving the Cavs, averaging 25.8 points and 5.9 assists over 290 regular-season games while shooting 49% from the floor and 39.9% on 3-pointers. He’s also a 90.1% free throw shooter and averaged 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.
However, the closest any of his teams have gotten to the Finals since his time in Cleveland was his first year in Boston, when the Celtics fell in the Eastern Conference finals. Irving didn’t play in those playoffs after undergoing left knee surgery.
Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks walks up the court during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center March 24, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
In 2019, Irving’s Celtics lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round, and then he moved on to the Brooklyn Nets to team up with Kevin Durant.
Even when James Harden came aboard, the Nets never reached their full potential, getting swept by the Celtics in the first round in 2022, Irving’s final trip to the playoffs with the Nets.
Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, right, celebrates a fourth quarter basket with LeBron James (23) in Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference quarterfinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Palace of Auburn Hills April 24, 2016, in Auburn Hills, Mich. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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Irving’s tenure in Brooklyn was filled with off-the-court drama, whether it was tweeting a link to a documentary on Amazon with antisemitic messaging or refusing to get vaccinated, which led to many missed games during the 2021-22 season.
He was eventually traded to the Dallas Mavericks, who signed him to a long-term deal this offseason.