Boston Celtics: 2017-18 NBA season preview
Storyline 1: Who is Kyrie Irving outside of Cleveland?
When Kyrie Irving first entered the league as the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, he was already riding a wave of hype. His next few seasons did not disappoint, as he dazzled with his shot creation and bucket-grabbing abilities. An All-Star by his second season, Irving has been an exciting part of the NBA from the jump.
But his first few seasons in the league also came with injuries and poor win totals, with the Cavaliers wholly incapable of returning to the postseason without LeBron James. Their incompetence did bear fruit, providing them with five top-four draft picks over the four-year span after his departure, including the first overall pick three times.
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When LeBron James returned to Cleveland, Irving was no longer asked to be the sole engine for the team. Cast as the dynamic wingman, he was able to thrive offensively, culminating in the greatest shot in Cleveland sports history in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Without LeBron, however, Irving has been remarkably unremarkable. The Cavaliers went 4-23 over the last three seasons when James didn’t play. Irving has not been able to lead a team to victory without the presence of James, and in those cases, it’s hardly Irving leading the team in the first place.
There’s the question of which Kyrie Irving is the real one — four-time All-Star, clutch NBA Finals shooter, unstoppable scorer Irving, or the inefficient chucker without leadership skills who cannot carry a team to victory on his own? Which version did the Boston Celtics receive?
Gordon Hayward is not LeBron James, but alongside Hayward and Al Horford there is star talent for Irving to play off of. Whether Hayward or Irving ends up driving the car, both stars will be key parts of the offense, forcing defenses away from focusing on just one star.
Boston is betting that a better team culture, better coaching and an actual offensive system will help Kyrie Irving tap his true potential and be the best version of himself. As teams across the league have discovered, the best Kyrie is a truly dangerous thing to experience for his opponents.