Boston Celtics: 5 keys to series vs. Indiana Pacers

1. Get out of Kyrie Irving’s way

Sometimes, it really is that simple.

Kyrie Irving has not played a game of postseason basketball since he exploded for 29.4 points per game in the 2017 NBA Finals as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a 40-point Game 4 which amounted to Cleveland’s sole win over the Golden State Warriors.

The Boston Celtics have not been able to see what the new and improved Irving will be able to do in this kind of setting yet, one who has improved nearly every facet of his game since 2017 other than volume scoring.

Irving has rightfully earned a reputation as a killer in the playoffs, and the Celtics would be fools to not afford him absolute freedom and follow his lead this postseason. Last postseason, the downfall of the Celtics was their inability to get their offense going consistently, especially on the road.

With Irving at the helm, that shouldn’t a problem to the same degree. No matter how good Indy’s defense is and no matter how intense the road crowd gets, the Celtics will have a reliable walking-bucket to turn to whenever times get tough.

This Pacers series is an exciting opportunity for the Celtics and their fans to see exactly what Irving is going to bring to the table for the postseason. Boston acquired him to take them to the next level, and this series is going to serve as a great indicator on whether or not he can do that.