The Celtics’ final play against the Bucks wasn’t originally meant for Kyrie Irving

by **bobheckler** Fri Feb 22, 2019 5:38 pm

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2019/02/22/kyrie-irving-last-play-marcus-morris-celtics

The Celtics’ final play against the Bucks wasn’t originally meant for Kyrie Irving

"Once that play was done, the second option was for Kyrie."

By Hayden Bird 10:20 AM

The Celtics fell in Milwaukee to the Bucks on Thursday, 98-97. The loss means the Celtics are now 7.5 games behind the Bucks in the Eastern Conference. Boston now heads to Chicago to play the Bulls on Saturday night at 8 p.m.

The Bruins will be in St. Louis on Saturday to face the Blues at 4 p.m.

Kyrie Irving was not the first option on the final shot: With 3.5 seconds remaining, the Celtics had a chance to hit the winning bucket. Ultimately, the ball ended up in the hands of Kyrie Irving, whose contested shot missed.

https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1098787945962627072
Celtics on NBC Sports Boston

@NBCSCeltics
Kyrie Irving misses the final shot in the Celtics 98-97 loss to the Bucks (@AAANe_MAnews) #AAANortheast

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7:33 PM - Feb 21, 2019

Afterward, the Celtics indicated that the original plan was to get the ball to Marcus Morris.

“We were looking for Morris off of Kyrie’s down screen,” said Marcus Smart to NBC Sports Boston’s A. Sherrod Blakely. In Smart view, Morris was held by Khris Middleton, who prevented the Celtics from running the play through their primary option. The alternative at that point was Irving.

“The dude was holding,” Smart explained. “[Morris] had been held. Once that play was done, the second option was for Kyrie. He made a great play, got the ball up. We had a chance.”

Brad Stevens also acknowledged that Morris was the intended recipient of the pass.

“I tried to set a good screen for Mook,” Irving told reporters. “I don’t know if he got fouled or not. I had 3.5 seconds and tried to make the best play.”

This wasn’t the first time this season that a failed final play for Boston has run through another player other than Irving. In a loss to the Magic in January, Irving appeared to disagree with Stevens after the Boston coach drew up a play that ran through Jayson Tatum.

bob
MY NOTE: The NBA Last Two Minutes Report MIGHT say that Kyrie was fouled, maybe not, but I'll bet they won't see all the other players who were off the ball and couldn't get to the ball, like Morris. The refs say "he wasn't in the play, why blow a whistle on a play that would change the outcome that's not near the ball?". Because he was supposed to be near the ball, and would have been, if not for the uncalled foul.

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