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BOSTON – The Boston Celtics are looking forward to finding goalkeeper Marcus Smart, possibly in the fourth game against Milwaukee on Monday night at TD Garden.
They would, however, be better served if guard Kyrie Irving had returned.
The Irving, who led Boston to victory on the Bucks field in the opening game of the Easian Conference semifinal series, was the last and largest iteration of the All-Star goalie's six points. Irving scored 26 points, got 11 assists and showed such maturity to orchestrate the Boston attack that even for a guy who's been on the national stage as long as he did it, it seemed like a kind of decisive performance.
This guy, however, was out of the series within 48 hours of the second game. Kryie 3.0 became Kyrie, uh-oh.
Irving's play seemed rushed, detached and not at all mature. After hitting 12 of 21 shots in the first game of the series, he shot 12 of 40 combined in games 2 and 3 while the Celtics dropped both. They gave back the advantage that they had won in the first win and that they must now win Monday, to impose a mini-series "best of three" in Milwaukee.
Irving had a plus / minus minus 26 in both Celtics defeats. And the most disconcerting, the player who is undoubtedly the best player in the NBA to succeed in difficult shots seemed to want to make his shots difficult. Too often, he went solo, had not looked for something better, had not spotted or even looked for another option.
Irving and Boston coach Brad Stevens had a side conversation after the Celtics' Sunday afternoon workout of moderate length. Then everyone spoke to reporters. The playmaker would not share what they discussed, while the coach skilfully avoided the question.
"We just wanted to spend 15 minutes talking about the Kentucky Derby's objection," Stevens said. "How could that have happened? So we created a conversation as long as the objection and that's what we discussed in detail. "
Not likely. Stevens probably talked to Irving about some of the things the coach told reporters on Saturday and Sunday: the need for the Celtics not to settle in and not succumb to the chaos that the Milwaukee defense incited to do the same. same.
For two days, answering various questions, Stevens guided the discussion to Boston by making the balloon the surest way to get high quality shots.
"One of the things we have to do as a team is just to make sure that those first readings are correct right from the first record," Stevens said, "and then from there." We must do a better job by placing the ball on the second side, the third side, and hope it will include as many paint attacks as possible. "
The Bucks unveiled a changing style of defense in the second game, which they did not do much all season. Too often, Irving's eyes lit up when he saw the center, Robin Lopez, or the striker Nikola Mirotic isolated in front of him, and the tunnel vision thus unleashed did not even give Irving the best shots. Too rarely, the Celtics failed to convince Milwaukee's defense to change course and then return.
"We have to be patient to get the best looks," Stevens said Sunday. "This patience does not mean that you're doing a lot of work, you have to work very hard and be patient with these guys. Because they cover the painting well. "
Celtics players only made 9 attempts on 19 attempts within 5 feet, a low rate by NBA standards. Lopez was one of the The best defender of the league this season, and Giannis Antetokounmpo has the mobility needed to protect his hoop man and help him inside.
Admirably, Irving agreed to assume his responsibilities, stating categorically after the defeat of the second match: "That's what I signed for." That's what Boston exchanged for me. After each game, he detailed what worked, what went wrong, and most importantly, what he planned to do in the next match.
It's just that his latest results do not match his promises.
The Celtics have more talent than the Bucks, and more players capable of leading them offensively through a match or just a crucial step. But these markers, from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to Al Horford and Gordon Hayward, depend on Irving's ability to find them and deliver the ball in rhythm.
Certainly, Boston must master things in defense. An average of 110 points should suffice, if you do not get a blister at a rate of 39% over a distance of 3 points while sending your opponents to the line of free throws an average of 30 times per night.
And yes, that's what he's enrolled for. The great unknowns of this dead season, as in the future whereabouts of Irving, could have unfortunate consequences on what will happen in the coming days. And what he does happen.
"I must be me. It's the easiest part, "Irving said Sunday. "The same state of mind that I always had. Be aggressive. Be patient. Being able to become aware of the time of the match and the places where I have to have an impact. Being able to be in good defensive positions and also able to communicate with my teammates.
"It's the easy part though. This is the fun part, if you go there and just let the game unfold dictate your instinct. "
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Steve Aschburner has written on the NBA since 1980. You can send him an email here, find his archives here and follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
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