2017-2018 Boston Celtics: No Irving! No Hayward! No Brooklyn Pick!

[Ohio]

 

[Thunder]

How's his ankle?

 

[RedBlackAttack]

Only 14 times in the last 33 years has a player scored 42+ points in a playoffs games with 22 shots or fewer attempted. Every single one of those times the player took more then 9 fts that Kyrie did tonight. Incredible scoring performance.

And, let us not forget that he scored 41 points on just 24 shots in The Finals last year in an even bigger situation, which is hard to fathom considering the gravity of the situation when he completely took over tonight. Things were looking very bleak in that moment in he just wouldn't allow it to happen.

I know there is a love-hate relationship between some Cavs fans and Kyrie Irving at times and it shows its face on here often enough to take notice.

Tonight encapsulated everything I love about Kyrie and why I'll come to his defense nearly every time, even when he has an "off game" by his standards or people don't think he plays "the right way"...

He's a cold-blooded killer on the basketball court. The kind of player that comes along very rarely... when these kinds of situations present themselves and guys can either stand up and face the spotlight or shrink under its heat, you can count on him always being at his best.

Watching him limp up and down the court and still continue fighting on both ends while playing extended minutes with potentially our season on the line and to come through the way he did ... there is no replacement for the special element he brings to the game.

LeBron James is the second best player I have ever seen and he is closer now to the GOAT than I ever thought he'd be. That said, Kyrie is the most fun player I've ever had the pleasure of watching in a Cavs uniform.

... not to pit them against one another. They play incredibly together (read Zach Lowe's piece today as a reference) and they are individually greater because of each other.

 

[The Red Viper]

I know Kyrie has had a couple of 50+ points performances against Blazers and Spurs, and was absolutely massive in Game-5 of last NBA Finals but this imo, was the best overall game of his professional career till now.

I know, I know, the value of the game is nothing in comparison with an elimination game in an NBA Finals on the road but the reason why I rate this performance slightly over last year's Game-5 of NBA Finals is because last year's performance we saw what an absolute scoring juggernaut Kyrie was. This game, we saw that but we also saw the leadership we have often longed for from Kyrie.

Like many have said LeBron was obviously struggling, so we needed Kyrie to go ham which he did. But he also acted as a floor general which we needed with LeBron in foul trouble. But more importantly, he helped LeBron get some easy buckets to get into some sort of rhythm because he knew we would need LeBron down the stretch. Thats is just excellent leadership and the sort of thing which you expect from LeBron. But to see Kyrie do that, that too for LeBron was just beautiful.

 

[AsianDawg]

Kyrie and Bron both being unselfish > Warriors may have slightly more talent but they aren't as cohesive.

Stockton and Malone, but with a ring and more potential!

 

[bigfoot5415]

How's his ankle?

It looked much worse than it was...im sure Jae will recover by Thuesday....

 

[RedBlackAttack]

I know Kyrie has had a couple of 50+ points performances against Blazers and Spurs, and was absolutely massive in Game-5 of last NBA Finals but this imo, was the best overall game of his professional career till now.

I know, I know, the value of the game is nothing in comparison with an elimination game in an NBA Finals on the road but the reason why I rate this performance slightly over last year's Game-5 of NBA Finals is because last year's performance we saw what an absolute scoring juggernaut Kyrie was. This game, we saw that but we also saw the leadership we have often longed for from Kyrie.

Like many have said LeBron was obviously struggling, so we needed Kyrie to go ham which he did. But he also acted as a floor general which we needed with LeBron in foul trouble. But more importantly, he helped LeBron get some easy buckets to get into some sort of rhythm because he knew we would need LeBron down the stretch. Thats is just excellent leadership and the sort of thing which you expect from LeBron. But to see Kyrie do that, that too for LeBron was just beautiful.

I would agree that, from a "changing the team's morale" standpoint, this was the greatest game of his professional career to date.

It will get overlooked in the longrun because people will likely look back on this series as over before it started, but things felt desperate for a very precarious hour or so. It seemed like the Celtics had really figured something out in terms of how to contain LeBron and Avery Bradley is such a good defender... movement had stagnated, which led to substandard energy on the defensive end and the glass.

Thinking about going back to Boston tied 2-2, while the Celtics played freely with house money and a Cavs team way inside its own head was a legitimate threat in that moment.

And, right then, down 16 with LeBron helpless on the bench (and equally helpless on the floor for the most part up to that point), Kyrie Irving just seemed to decide enough was enough. If he was going down, he was going to go down throwing every haymaker he had left and to hell with the potential consequences. It didn't matter to him what people think about his style of play or how his "take-over mode" might be perceived if those shots didn't go in.

He just let it all go. And it was infectious.

This is why we still have a chance against Golden State -- the most talented team ever constructed (at least in the modern era). Kyrie is simply tougher than any of those guys and we have one of the top two players of all-time still in his prime.

With Kyrie able to lead a team the way he did tonight, we're just as scary as them if not moreso.

 

[inliner311]

I loved how Kyrie stepped up today but I wish Lue could find a group that can play well around Kyrie when Lebron isn't on the floor. The playbook pretty much goes out the window when Lebron goes off the floor.

They aren't going to find that group this season but I think it needs to be a priority over the offseason. It might just be one player to build chemistry like Derrick Williams or Kay Felder taking the next step to get it to all work. I feel like Delly was the one player that played just as well with just Lebron as with just Kyrie.

 

[Zeus69]

How's his ankle?

From post game:

Looking ahead to Thursday's Game 5, Irving will attempt to play through an ankle he admitted is likely to flare up.

"My adrenaline is still going at this point, so I'm pretty sure when I get home my body will probably hate me," he said.

 

[czvo]

He does this thing where he shows the ball above his head on his gather step, and it almost ALWAYS gets bigs to either jump early or jump forward just enough to give him the space he needs. It's really incredible.

It's like Harden throwing the ball completely out in front of him to bait a reach in.

 

[RedBlackAttack]

Btw, remember when Kyrie was struggling with efficiency in the playoffs?

Last three games...

ECF
Game 2: 23 points (8-11 FG, 3-6 3PT, 4-5 FT), 3 assists, +37
Game 3: 29 points (10-15 FG, 4-6 3PT, 5-5 FT), 7 assists, +0
Game 4: 42 points (15-22 FG, 4-7 3PT, 8-9 FT), 4 assists, +9

Averages
31.3 points (69% FG, 58% 3PT, 90% FT), 5 assists, +46

 

[Jordan]

I was at the game tonight in the corner section (124). LeBron's body language most of the game was absolutely awful. Twice during the game Kyrie pulled LeBron aside out of timeouts and was clearly giving him directions. Obviously LeBron is the team's leader, but tonight, Kyrie carried the Cavs (including LeBron) on his back to a playoff victory.

 

[David.]

I legit teared up when he went down and literally just tied his fucking shoes tighter and got up mean mugging everyone in particular.

Lost it when he hit that 3.

 

[Crosby_Cavs]

Amazing game by Kyrie, but he has to be careful. Basketball Gods will do whatever it takes to injury him just before games against Warriors.

 

[And1]

Kyrie was spectacular tonight.. I expect we wil see this kyrie in these finals