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‘Their window is now’: Kyrie Irving praised former Celtics teammates, Brad Stevens
Irving said he's "not surprised at all" at Celtics' success under former Nets assistant Ime Udoka.
The Celtics rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Nets 114-107 in Game 2 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff matchup on Wednesday. Boston now leads the series 2-0 ahead of Saturday’s Game 3 in Brooklyn.
Elsewhere, the Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays at Fenway Park on Thursday, 6-1. Boston will face Toronto again on Thursday at 1:35 p.m.
Tonight, the Bruins face the Penguins in Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.
Kyrie Irving on the Celtics: Following a headline-filled performance in Game 1 of the Nets’ playoff matchup with the Celtics, Kyrie Irving had a quieter night in Wednesday’s Game 2.
After posting 39 points in the series-opening loss on Sunday, Irving managed just 10 points in the second matchup.
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Reflecting on the 0-2 series hole the Nets now face, he admitted that his former team made more plays when it counted.
“In the fourth quarter, they made some tough plays,” Irving said of the Celtics in the postgame press conference. “They had a good bench showing tonight, and when you’ve got seven guys in double figures, that definitely shows you that it’s a team game out there. They played with cohesion, and some poise down the stretch.”
Noting how Brooklyn is still trying to find the right amount of team cohesion, Irving acknowledged that the Celtics don’t have that issue.
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“We’re going against a team together for what, the last four, five years. So they don’t have to worry about that,” he explained.
Celtics coach Ime Udoka is another person Irving has experience working with. The former Nets assistant has shaped the Celtics into the league’s top defense in his first season in Boston.
Irving was asked if he was “surprised” at the Celtics’ dominant start to the playoffs.
“I’m not surprised at all,” he replied. Looking at the Celtics’ current roster and how it compares with the Boston team he once played for, Irving has an optimistic view from a Celtics standpoint.
“I just think the timing is right. Their window is now for these young guys that are on this team that have matured,” said Irving. “They’ve been through series together, they’ve been through seasons together, they’ve been through battles together.”
“I got a chance to experience some of that,” Irving added. “Now being on the opposite end and going against a healthy Celtics team — especially without Robert Williams — you’re just seeing there’s a difference in their verve, there’s a difference in the way they approach the game. And also they have a set offense and defense that they rely on.”
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Irving also cited former Celtics coach and current president of basketball operations Brad Stevens as a major part of the team’s success.
“Ime’s been a huge part of that. But you’ve got to give credit to that guy that’s sitting in the president’s role as well now,” Irving concluded. “All of the sudden we don’t get to see him as often, Brad Stevens definitely has a lot to do with that.”
Trivia: Including Kyrie Irving, three of the top five picks in the 2011 NBA Draft have played for the Celtics in their NBA careers. Can you name the other two?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: One was the drafted by the Cavaliers (along with Irving), while the other was selected by the Jazz.
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Marcus Smart helped seal the Game 2 win…
…and created one of the night’s lasting images with Jaylen Brown.
A mesmerizing sequence of Shohei Ohtani strikeouts: The 27-year-old American League MVP struck out 12 in six innings in a 6-0 Angles win over the Astros. Ohtani also went 2-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs, batting twice before he even took the mound.
On this day: In 2002, the Patriots traded Drew Bledsoe to the Bills. New England received a 2003 first-round pick in return.
Daily highlight: The Rangers escaped a first inning jam with a triple play in Thursday’s loss to the Mariners.
Trivia answer: Tristan Thompson, Enes Kanter
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