Kyrie Irving, Kristaps Porzingis were nearly traded for each other in 2019 deal between Celtics, Knicks

NBA Communications: This play by the Dallas Mavericks is the most-viewed video EVER across NBA social media platforms, generating more than 260 million video views. The 2024 #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV tip off on Thursday, June 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. -via Twitter / June 3, 2024

So when Golden State Warriors fans howl in support of Curry and Thompson, Van Gundy makes a simple, fairly obvious rebuttal. “When I look at Curry and Thompson—fantastic backcourt, but you can’t just give Klay Thompson the ball and say, ‘OK, create a shot for us,’” he said. “He’s more dependent on other people. And there’s usually at least one in [any great backcourt] that that’s true of, at least to some degree.” -via The Ringer / June 3, 2024

The thing is, Van Gundy’s assertion wasn’t particularly outrageous or hyperbolic, at least within the narrow framework he laid out. He did not call Doncic and Irving the “greatest” backcourt of all time or the “winningest,” and he didn’t say they were the best two-way duo. The key word here is “offensive” (as in scoring, not insulting). And when it comes to offensive skills—dribbling, passing, playmaking, creating shots, making shots—it’s really not a stretch to label Doncic and Irving as the best guard tandem in history. “I think they’re the best offensive backcourt ever,” Van Gundy told The Ringer, now quintupling down on the claim. “That’s how I put it in the series. And it got a lot of pushback from Charles and Shaq and those guys. But listen, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a backcourt with two guys like that, who you can just give the ball to either one of them and then they can go create offense for you—for themselves or for their teammates.” -via The Ringer / June 3, 2024

Run It Back: “They do not like Porzingis in Dallas… Luka did not like playing with him, there is an actual beef there” 👀 @ChandlerParsons on Kristaps Porzingis playing his former team in the NBA Finals 🍿 -via Twitter / June 3, 2024

His stint with the Wizards helped him find his identity. Boston gave him a chance for a renaissance. “As a basketball player, I’m coming in pretty ready, entering my prime. But definitely, as a person, this year has been an interesting year for me outside of basketball,” said Kristaps Porzingis, 28. “But I think it was necessary. You always learn something, right? You’re like, ‘Oh, man, the way I was thinking two years ago.’ And it’s always evolving as a person.” -via New York Times / June 3, 2024

He wanted to try something different. He had previously lived with his brother, Janis, or his partner each season. But when he moved to Boston, he was solo. “This is my first year where I’m completely alone. The winter is dark. It was just a long winter,” Porziņģis said. “Now that the weather is better and your friends are visiting, it’s different. But that (winter) came with a lot of time to just think about my own stuff. So this was a lonely season for me in a way.” -via New York Times / June 3, 2024