Basketball has become “fun” again for the Celtics, which Kyrie Irving sees as the main explanation for the team’s recent success, relays Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Boston, which entered the season as the Eastern Conference favorite, has now won seven in a row after a 10-10 start and Irving believes the team just needed to get through a transition period.
“New group. New environment. New things to figure out,” he explained. “Expectations you have for what you want to be and how you want to win. We expected things to come easy. That’s being part of a team environment. Even the best teams had to go through trials of figuring out what they look like every day.”
Big things were expected from the Celtics with both Irving and Gordon Hayward healthy to start the season. However, some of the younger players who helped the team reach the conference finals last season had to adjust to new roles. Coach Brad Stevens appears to have found a winning combination with Marcus Smart, Marcus Morris, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford joining Irving in the starting lineup and Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier as the top reserves.
“Terry and Gordon and Jaylen are starters in this league,” Irving said. “That’s not a prototypical second unit.”
There’s more today from Boston:
- Brown agrees with that assessment, even as he struggles through a difficult season, writes ESPN’s Jackie MacMullen. For now, he’s trying to adjust to his new bench role. “People are throwing out all these numbers, these stats, and they are saying this, saying that,” Brown said. “I have unwavering faith in my ability, and I believe our coaching staff does, too. If anyone can handle this, I can. I’ve been through a lot in my short life. I’ll be all right.”
- Even though his shooting remains erratic, the Celtics don’t have any regrets about the four-year, $52MM deal they gave Smart over the summer, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The versatile guard is hitting just .385 from the field and .301 from 3-point range, but his contributions in other areas overshadow his shooting woes. “You know, he’s a bulldog,” Morris said of his teammate. “He’s been doing that since he’s been in the NBA. Even when I was on a different team, he was doing the same thing. He continues to do it. He’s a guy that you love to have on your team.”
- Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston examines the Celtics’ stockpile of potential first-rounders for next year and notes that surprising starts by the Kings, Grizzlies and Clippers may decrease the expected value of those picks.
I’ve seen several games live and can tell you that Brown is NOT taking advantage of his athleticism. With his speed and decreased minutes he should be an end-to-end hustle guy/slasher. He just isn’t, oftentimes walking around aimlessly and not getting back on D. He also needs to finish better at the rim and shoot better than 66 percent from the line.
Says the knicks fan! I have seen several live games also and what you talk about Brown doing has not happened! If you hate the Celtics, just say you hate them! Don’t try to make excuses for your team being terrible!
I am a Celtics fan and longtime Celtics season ticket holder. Loge section 4
The good thing about the picks been lower is that Boston might try to round all 4 & trade up for just 1 player, no point in having 4 rookies next year, try to get a good one, so it could be good the devaluation
it’s a four player draft with a couple of sleepers – c’s could trade for future pick
Most important pick is that Top 10 from Sacramento for the Celtics. After that, it’s likely depth picks or future picks via trade for Boston.
Uhhhh, the Boston Celtics will likely STILL END UP with solid draft picks from Memphis, Sacramento and LA (clippers) as it’s highly doubtful ONE of those teams makes the playoffs, let alone TWO or all of them, ha ha asinine notion. The sac kings will be a Top 10 selection too, most important. The reality is that all 3 teams will likely FADE down the stretch, leading to Ainge with 3 great top 20 draft picks and looking like a genius GM….. AGAIN. LOL