https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1788099694188462399
Kyrie Irving on the problems Luguentz Dort can pose as an on-ball defender:
"Lu's been a great defender since he walked into this league, he's got to be
given his credit and respect. I think he causes a lot of issues when he's
pressuring the ball handler 94 feet for practically the whole game. That's
something that we have to be aware of, but he's not the only good defender
out there. I don't think what makes him great is just him individually. I
think it's the team game that they play, and he does a great job of being the
head of that. But for me and my teammates, we just have to continue to attack
him and continue to play downhill in a way where we play off of two feet.
They do a lot of reaching, they do a lot of small pushes and stuff like that.
And we just have to adjust to the team that we're playing against. And I
think that's the most important thing. This Game 1 is done, we didn't play as
well as we would have liked. We failed on a lot of our coverages, and we
didn't come in with the attitude that was necessary to get this W. So, the
pressure that they were putting on was definitely attributed to their
excitement. But I think in Game 2, we just have to settle in a lot earlier
and be able to withstand some of their 3-point barrages that they get off of
our long 3s that end up coming around the free throw line or some of our
turnovers. I had too many turnovers tonight, especially in that first
quarter, just trying to get my guy settled. So there are some things to look
back on, but the defensive pressure is not going to stop. So we just got to
adjust."
Kyrie Irving談Luguentz Dort防守給持球員帶來的問題:
『自從Luguentz Dort進入聯盟以來，他一直是名出色的防守者，他應該得到應有的讚賞
和尊重。當他對持球者進行全場壓迫時，他造成了很多問題，而我們必須意識到的一點。
整個雷霆隊上，不是只有一位防守出色的球員。我認為讓他成為出色的防守球員，不僅是
因他個人能力，而是整個團隊，他所做的就是帶頭做起防守這件事。但對於我和我的隊友
來說，我們必須繼續進攻他、繼續切入並保持平衡應對。
雷霆做了很多伸手撈球和推擠之類的事情。我們必須適應我們所面對的球隊。我認為這是
最重要的事情。第一場比賽已經結束，我們的表現不如我們預期的好。我們在很多防守覆
蓋上都失敗了，我們沒有以應有的態度來贏得這場勝利。
而他們所施加的防守壓力絕對是興奮所致。但我認為在第二場比賽中，我們必須更早地安
頓下來，並且能夠抵禦他們的三分攻勢，而這些三分球是由我們的大號三分球引發的，最
終這些球會落在罰球線附近或者來自於我們的失誤。
今晚我的失誤太多了，尤其是在第一節，我試圖讓我的隊友穩下來。所以有一些事情需要
重播回顧，但防守壓力不會停止，所以我們必須做出調整。』
https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1788097654158762295
Kyrie Irving on defending a player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander without
fouling: "I'm going to show my respect and say that he's a great player. But
tonight, in the first half, there wasn't really a rhythm for a lot of players
out there. It was a lot of slow down, watching free throws being taken, and
adjusting to the way the game was being called. It felt like a regular season
game tonight, in my perspective. I don't speak for anyone else, but I think
it was like a regular season game because we came off a very physical series
against the LA Clippers, then we had some fouls called, and some of them may
have been fouls or a majority of them. But as a competitor, you want the flow
of the game to feel like the playoffs, with high physicality. It just feels
better. It's all about adjustments. It's about continuing to stay positive
through some of the runs they make and being mature about who we're going
against - a good team that's shown it all year. They have a starting five
with a plus-minus through the roof and one of the top defenses. So, we'll
give them credit, but we have to come into game two ready and prepared."
Kyrie Irving談如何在不犯規的情況下防守像Shai Gilgeous-Alexander這樣的球員：
『我要表達我的尊重，SGA是一位出色的球員。但是今晚，在上半場，許多球員並沒有真
正找到節奏。比賽節奏很緩慢，一直看人罰球，並且要適應比賽的吹判方式。
從我的角度來看，今晚感覺像是一場例行賽。我不代表其他人發言，但我認為這場比賽像
是一場例行賽，因為我們在快艇的系列賽中進行了非常激烈的身體對抗。然後有一些犯規
被吹，其中一些可能是犯規，或者大多數都是。
但作為一個競爭者，你希望比賽節奏感覺像季後賽，有高強度的身體對抗。這樣感覺更好
，但這一切都是關於適應。他們在進攻中保持積極，並且打的很成熟，雷霆是一支整年都
表現出色的好球隊。他們先發五人組的正負值爆表，並且是最佳防守球隊之一。所以我們
要給予他們肯定，但我們必須準備好進入第二場比賽。』