ATLANTA — When Brad Stevens is preparing to coach a game, he usually looks at the most recent box score of the team he is about to face. If that team's star was subdued, Stevens is usually wary of what might come next.
"If they really struggled and they're really good, that's a scary sight," Stevens said, "because you know guys like that don't have quiet nights twice in a row very often."
Kyrie Irving did not play poorly in the Celtics' 104-88 win over the Magic on Sunday, but he was held to 11 points. Last season, he scored fewer than that just twice. So Stevens had a sense Irving might be due for an eruption — except the good news was that he was on his side now.
On a night the Celtics were far from perfect, at the end of a challenging three-game road trip, Irving was there to rescue them when they needed him most. He would not let the winning streak end, not here.
The point guard had his most complete game as a Celtic, pouring in 35 points on 14 of 22 shooting and dishing out seven assists, as the Celtics held off the Hawks and grabbed a 110-107 win, their ninth in a row.
Irving's 14-footer with 20.3 seconds left all but finished off Atlanta.
"It's exciting to be out there and be on his side," Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum said, "watching him do all those incredible things
--DAS GLOBEWhen I wrote Part I, the article represented my observations from several games, including the pre-season. Ahh, yes. The pre-season. Let's not forget that. It was so clear how good the Celtics were going to be. Just think how good we are now, and then throw GH into the mix. We are talking 40 blowout wins. No?
Anyway, I digress.
Last night we saw what we might not only expect from our superstar, but also what we might hope for, only this time it came all in one game, a game where he needed to lead and drag his teammates to victory. The Celtics were dragging ass and discombobulated for much of the game. Kyrie? OK, I guess tonight they need me. They need all of me. And that is what we saw. Of course, he still has more. He gave just enough.
I am so impressed at not only how well the supporting cast is playing, but at how quickly the others recognized Kyrie as their "leader" and their "star."
Damn straight.
It will be a fun year. Tatum is in the starting lineup for good. He will benefit so much from the experience. Brown will benefit from the extra minutes not having to share them with GH. So, for the most part, it's all good. Yes, we would be otherworldly with GH, and it is a crime he got injured.
But let's not focus on that now.
Let's appreciate how good this team is, how deep this team is, and how unbelievably great it's leader is.
5 comments:
It was the first time this season Boston won despite allowing an opponent to top the 100-point mark. Tatum added 21 points and eight rebounds, and Al Horford had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Boston's locker room afterward was calm and matter of fact. The win had not come easily. There were stretches when the Celtics appeared sluggish and subdued. But it was also a night that plenty of teams in this situation would have just taken a frustrating loss, and the Celtics had not. Instead, they had taken a step.
This team is pretty exciting. They will be scary good with Hayward back in the lineup but in the meantime, young guys like Tatum and Ojeleye are getting valuable experience and will make us that much better.
I was skeptical when Danny traded for Kyrie. I didn't like him as a Cav and after not liking him for so long I wasn't sure I could fully embrace him as a Celtic. But, he has won me over. He's changed his style of play to be a team player and defender and he gives the Celtics what they need on any given night.
If someone is hot Kyrie figures out how to get him the ball. Nobody is hot... He takes over offensively. And even his flat earth and concerns about the Bucks court etc seem to me to be team oriented. He is taking the pressure off of the young guys by focusing all the media buzz on those bizarre theories. He's won me over.
he looked so good in the preseason. that's how we know there is more in store. I agree with everything you said, fcf. thanks for the thoughtful comment
Thanks for the great posts that make me think :)
thank you for reading them, FCF
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