MILWAUKEE — When people ponder the essential mysteries of the entity that is Playoff Kyrie, they tend to focus on the scoring outbursts and the otherworldly shotmaking. Playoff Kyrie can do that, of course. We’ve seen it so many times over the years that the image of Irving going off on some 20-point scoring binge is fresh in everyone’s mind.
We saw some of that in Game 1 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Bucks on Sunday, when Irving dropped 26 points on a variety of post-up fadeaways, mid-lane runners, and pull up jumpers. He led all scorers in the C’s shockingly easy 112-90 victory, and his shotmaking was a crucial component of their offensive efficiency.
But the scoring wasn’t what made this a Playoff Kyrie performance. It was his passing, which resulted in a game-high 11 assists. It was his defense, which has been on point throughout the postseason. Most of all, it was the balance he brought to the task of managing the game. Save for a couple of turnovers, it was about as flawless a floor game as you could ever want from your point guard.
For Kyrie, it’s not a question of choosing to be a scorer or a facilitator. It’s a matter of understanding the rhythms of the game and allowing himself to go with the flow. Presenting the matter as a choice is a restrictive binary construction. Playoff Kyrie contains multitudes.
“I’ve been all over the board emotionally trying to figure out, how do we dial back in?” Irving said. “How do I dial back in personally? Do I come out more aggressive? You start to overthink the game, and it’s just basketball. So you prepare the right way, you give great energy, you give your teammates great energy and it’ll come right back to you. And I genuinely believe that.”
Turns out, Playoff Kyrie is really about generating positive karma. When he’s feeling good, everyone feels good. When the Celtics feel good about themselves, they make the game look so easy.
For the last few weeks, Celtics coach Brad Stevens has been talking about how well Irving has seen the floor. When Irving draws two defenders, he’s been making the right read and when it’s go time, he’s gone. What Irving has done during the postseason is keep his approach delightfully simple.
Take the trusty pick-and-pop play with Al Horford. It’s one of the oldest actions in the playbook. The big man sets a screen and drifts back to the perimeter, while Irving commands the attention of multiple defenders. From there it’s a simple matter of making the read, delivering the pass, and sprinting back on defense after the shot.
Simple stuff, really. But, oh so important for the Celtics to attack a Milwaukee defense that packs the paint and dares you to shoot from the outside. This is the essential tactical pivot point of the series. The Bucks want the Celtics to take those shots and the Celtics are happy to oblige.
In most cases, allowing the big man to shoot from the perimeter is a good trade, especially if the alternative is Irving slicing a path to the basket. But most big men aren’t Al Horford.
“It’s very vital for our offense,” Irving said. “It brings continuity. It brings spacing. Especially when we’re in the right spots and staying disciplined in our half court offense and we have either matchups we want to go at. Or Al knows when I’m going to be getting downhill and we communicate throughout the game about how we want our pick and roll offense to be, how we can be more efficient, so I don’t miss him on easy shots or easy opportunities that he can make for others.”
Time and time again, the Celtics went to pick-and-pop and the Bucks were either happy to concede that ground or were horribly messed up in their rotations. Even when it didn’t result in a Horford jumper, it opened up opportunities for players like Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris, who were a combined 12-for-20 for 28 points.
When things got tight, like they did in the second quarter after the Bucks erased a 15-point lead in a matter of minutes, Kyrie countered by simply making the right play. Whether it was hitting a cutting Brown for an easy two or taking his defender off the dribble for a pullup 3, Playoff Kyrie was in control of the situation without dominating it.
“So, the second and third quarter, I really don’t worry about shots,” Irving said. “I can get my shot any time I want. I think everybody in the building knows that. But aside from that, evolution of my game has come from just being able to pace the game very well and manage it, and establish these guys throughout the game, because they’re special as well.”
This is the balance the Celtics have been searching for all season. How do you form a team around a half-dozen players who can score along with a point guard who can get any shot he wants, whenever he desires? The regular season made that look next to impossible, but we’re officially a long way past those old talking points. This is the postseason and Playoff Kyrie has arrived right on time.
https://www.sbnation.com/2019/4/29/18522090/kyrie-irving-highlights-celtics-vs-bucks-game-1-nba-playoffs
2019-04-29 13:43:51Z
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