Under Stevens, Kyrie's game ready for growth spurt

https://sports.yahoo.com/under-stevens-kyries-game-ready-195506746.html





Under Stevens, Kyrie's game ready for growth spurt




A. Sherrod Blakely


NBC Sports Boston•Nov 5, 2017, 11:55 AM





BOSTON – One of the things you quickly discover if you're around Kyrie Irving long enough, it's that he's really perceptive.

 
It isn't so much what he observes in a particular moment, but the knowledge he banks away based on what he sees and how that knowledge makes its way to the surface when he deems it necessary.



When the Celtics went all-in to trade for Irving, there were lots of questions and concerns about whether it was a good idea.
 
Even before sitting down with the Celtics' brass, Irving saw himself and the Celtics both wanting the same thing out of this budding basketball marriage – growth.
 
For him, that growth comes in the form of stability, the kind of coaching stability he has never had since coming into the NBA.
 
Knowing Brad Stevens was a heck of a coach, one who brought out the best in those he has worked with, was appealing to Irving.
 
And knowing that Stevens wasn't going anywhere, Irving didn't have to come to Boston and buy into Stevens' system or anything like that.
 
Irving was already all-in before he arrived. It's one of the key reasons the Celtics (7-2) are off to such a fast start despite Gordon Hayward's ankle injury that's expected to keep him sidelined all season.
 
When asked about why he left Cleveland, Irving often mentions a desire to grow both as a player and as a person.
 
That often gets him the McKayla Maroney side-eyed smirk from fans who look at him and are like, ‘Dude, you're a four-time all-star whose only 25 years old! How much more growth do you need?'


The first nine games speak to that growth Irving has been seeking, not just since he became a Celtic, but since he came into the NBA.
 
Before LeBron James arrived in Cleveland, Irving was trying to find his way like most young, ridiculously gifted players. Once James arrived, Irving had to modify his play to be more of a complement to James, rather than a headliner, which is what No. 1 overall picks such as himself and James, are accustomed to being for their team.
 
Well, he has the spotlight in Boston and so far has shown that he's more than just an elite scorer with crazy ball-handling skills.
 
He has become the de facto closer for the Celtics, a role many envisioned him playing when he arrived in Boston.
 
More than that, he has also become a defensive asset that nobody saw coming.
 
Irving has been among the league's leaders in steals and deflections, with a defensive rating among the best in the league among guards.
 
He has become a more complete, all-around superstar who, if he continues the pace he's on now, will soon be mentioned as a league MVP candidate.
 
And his talent has a lot to do with that.
 
So does the trust he has developed in Brad Stevens.
 
Stevens presented Irving with something no other coach he has ever had in the league could – stability.
 
Aside from San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, there isn't another coach in the NBA who has the kind of job stability that Stevens does.
 
For all the X's and O's that Stevens draws up, the fact that he's not going anywhere anytime soon is huge for Irving who had four different coaches in a six-year period in Cleveland.
 
With so many new forms of leadership, Irving was constantly being tasked with adjusting to a new system and a new role, without there necessarily being a growth component attached to it.
 
That's not the case in Boston.
 
He came to town as a high-impact scorer.
 
Irving still gets buckets, obviously.
 
But we have seen aspects of his game that most didn't know existed because, again, he had a role in Cleveland that was more about using his talents to help the franchise win rather than his overall development as a player.
 
In Boston, Irving is getting the best of both worlds with Stevens as his coach.
 
Although Stevens has only been in Boston for four-plus seasons, there's a clear pattern of players getting better in their time under his watch.
 
Evan Turner, Kris Humphries, Kelly Olynyk are just a few of the players whose fortunes improved dramatically from the time they arrived in Boston until the time they left.
 
Irving hopes to be the latest success story, one that Celtics fans are hoping will have a happy ending with Irving helping lead Boston to bringing home Banner 18.
 
A big part of that journey will be the ever-growing bond built on trust that has developed between Irving and Stevens.



bob



.

One of Blakely's better articles.

I must admit I was a bit worried about Kyrie's attitude. He had somewhat of a tarnished reputation as a selfish player in Cleveland and as a loner who sometimes wouldn't even talk to his teammates. Whatever it is that Brad Stevens has in his "Magic Potion Team Play Bottle", Kyrie has apparently taken a big swallow. Good for him and good for us!

Berlin-T

I don't know if Stevens has some magic number he's doing on Kyrie's head, but I hope he keeps doing it.

There was never a question about Irving being a top-tier guard, but he seems to be moving past the limitations in his game that have grabbed so much attention. In no way did Kyrie ever appear interested in showing up for 48 minutes of defense before, but he sure is playing D now. A reputation for merely average passing ability seems to be fading fast. His already good handle has become perhaps the best around, too. The biggest question mark may have been attitude, and by all accounts so far he's been nothing but an unselfish team player.

Growth spurt? For sure. Stating the obvious here, but considering his still young age, the maturity developing in his game is incredibly good for Boston.

Paul Pierce was a hard working diva but still a diva until we got KG, Ray, Posey and PJ Brown. I agree it is fairly remarkable that Kyrie at 25 is ready to move on from personal achievements to just being one of the guys on an old-school nice team transcending egos.

This is Horford's team due to his one extra year of seniority. He and Kyrie are lunch pail styled stars.

If there are two types of stars, the historic Lakers versus Celtics versions, then Irving has shown he is more of the blue collar type we love. He is sublimating at a fast and deliberate pace.

He'll also turn it up a notch and ball hog but only if necessary. He calls it winning time. The more down to earth your stars are, the more likely everyone else on the team will feel respected, buy in, develop and overachieve.

LeBron is the opposite. He acts so entitled. Unfortunately he is a beast and virtually unstoppable, but he can be stopped when the situation becomes a talented, cohesive unselfish team versus the glittering in your face arrogance of someone calling himself the King.

The only doubts about Kyrie I had pertained to his defensive prowess. He's clearly proven everyone wrong. He actually makes great defensive plays on a consistent basis. I never thought for a second that he'd have the type of personality that'd prove to be a detriment to the team. I don't understand where this narrative is coming from that he's somehow a bad presence. He's been leading this team vocally and through example.


KJ

With Kyrie the proof is in the pudding. We are a much better team this year with him on the court, both offensively and defensively. I know for sure that both Jaylen and Jayson have benefited from his presence. IT and Jae were reluctant to pass the ball to Jaylen last year, whereas Kyrie finds J and J often with his passes.

In only 16 games in his first season in Boston, Irving has already grown as a player and also as a leader.

AND, there is more to come. He is going to be a true "max" salaried player when he becomes a free agent. Hope we can keep him.

Hi,
Yes, it's only 16 games into the season but so far, I didn't see any indications of KI not being a leader, a mentor to the rookies, a member of the team. One of the examples. The last game, after the final buzzer he grabbed the ball, walked to JB and gave it to him - game ball goes to you.
As for the max $$$, I think Danny should'n hesitate to give it to KI: you want a ring - you have to pay for it.

AK

My son told me today that JB's best friend had died the night before the GSW game. JB thought about skipping the game but reconsidered.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21440976/jaylen-brown-boston-celtics-played-heavy-heart-best-friend-death

Helluva guy, JB.