What is Really Wrong with the Cavs?

Isaiah Thomas has some ideas

Whether their fans will admit it or not, the struggles of the Cleveland Cavaliers are REAL.

To begin with, this is the Cleveland Cavaliers team that erased a 3-1 Finals deficit against the empire of the Golden State Warriors two seasons ago. So what is the difference between that Cavs team and this one that we are seeing right now?

For starters, that team had an effective Tristan Thompson and a KYRIE IRVING. This season, Kyrie Irving is now doing the Alpha dog job for the league-leading Boston Celtics while Tristan Thompson hasn’t been the same since he was dealing with his own injury problem. Thompson has only appeared in 25 games this season, starting 5 of those games. In those games, Thompson averaged 5 points and close to 6 rebounds per game. He used to be the leading rebounder of the team. Now? It’s Kevin Love.

Another big difference between the 2016 champion team and this current team is that ON PAPER, they have gained more firepower after getting Isaiah Thomas, Dwayne Wade and of course, former league MVP, Derrick Rose.  Here’s the problem, folks. Dwayne is no longer the same “Flash” we all loved during his decorated stint with the Miami Heat. Isaiah Thomas is still not the 4th quarter monster we used to see during his stint with the Celtics. Rose? He hasn’t been the same explosive player since he got injured right after winning the MVP award.

So what is wrong with the Cavs, REALLY?

According to the new guy, Isaiah Thomas, there are two reasons why the Cavs are heading into the game against the San Antonio Spurs with a 27-18 record- having lost 7 of their last 10 games.

Firstly, Isaiah Thomas said that the Cavs aren’t trying harder defensively. And that claim can be verified just by looking at easily their opponents have scored in their last 5 defeats were the Cavs up 124 points per game on the average. The Cavs’ lack of defensive intensity was displayed against the Oklahoma City Thunder when they gave up 148 points. Isaiah Thomas even went as far as saying that the Celtics were a defensive team during his stint there. 

Secondly, the Cavs weren’t trusting each other. For a team that is loaded with talented passers, averaging 23 assists per game- the 7th in the league in that category, is totally unacceptable. And that’s one of the many reasons why LeBron James has been on a Super Saiyan mode as of late because of the fact that his teammates weren’t trusting each other. 

Conclusion

Getting new players off trade deals will help improve the Cavs’ situation but first, Cleveland will have to fix their internal problems ON THEIR OWN because that’s a first step towards rediscovering how good they are with the pieces that they have. One thing that the Cavs will need to do is to defend. Why? Even though the Spurs won’t have Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio is still loaded with talented scorers. 

Who Should the Celtics Trade for Anthony Davis: The Possibility

The trade rumors surrounding the Brow seem to be getting louder and louder by the day

The New Orleans Pelicans have risen to 23-21 in the season, tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 7th spot in the Western Conference. That is despite their early struggles which include injury problems for Rajon Rondo among others. Now that Rondo is healthy and is playing like the “point god” he used to be during his stint with the Boston Celtics, he is throwing the ball towards DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis at any given opportunity, running Alvin Gentry’s offense to perfection.

However, despite the success of the Pelicans who recently dropped a game against the lowly Atlanta Hawks, the rumors surrounding star center, Anthony Davis who is set to start this year’s All-Star Game for the Western Conference alongside DeMarcus Cousins, have been as noisy as ever. A few weeks ago, Davis was included in the 8-player deal that would have sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Ian Clark in exchange for 6 players which include Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. Then, the possibility of seeing Davis play alongside Steph Curry and the rest of the Golden State Warriors came along as the defending champions are said to be willing to give up two stars in exchange for the Brow.

Now? Even his own coach, Alvin Gentry has said that they would be trading Anthony Davis to the Boston Celtics “as long as the Celtics will give New England Patriots along with the two planes that the Patriots just bought.”

Okay. For non-basketball-minded fans, let this pundit on wheels translate that phrase. What is Alvin Gentry is trying to say here is that the Pelicans are willing to trade Davis as long as the Celtics will send the same amount of talent n exchange for the Brow?

Question: Who should Boston send to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis?

Ideally, a 2-for-1 swap should do the trick but since it would require Boston to send one of its starters, a one-on-one swap would d. Why? Sending two players: a starter and a bench player will cost the Pelicans too much luxury taxes on top of the limitation in the cap space.

Fortunately, the Celtics do have Al Horford who saw his career rejuvenated by the Celtics thanks to the arrival of Kyrie Irving. Al Horford has played 42 games this season and has been averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds per game. Plus, he is shooting 42% from the three-point territory, a rare shooting percentage for someone of his size and position.

Should the Celtics find the willpower to send Al Horford to the Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis, they would have gained additional star power to compliment Kyrie Irving and soon, Gordon Hayward who is expected to return earlier than originally expected. In addition to this, 9 wins will be added to the projected number of wins of the Celtics this season so it’s definitely a win-win deal for Boston all throughout.

Question: Will Boston’s front office pull the trigger on this one? Definitely!

Question: Will New Orleans stumble towards the bottom once Anthony Davis heads East? Possibly.

But who knows? Al Horford still has a few good years ahead of him and if he can stay healthy, then he can help the Pelicans hike for more wins and hopefully, avoid a first-round date with either the Warriors or the Houston Rockets. 

The Struggle is REAL for LeBron and the Cavs

LeBron admits this season is the hardest for him

When the Cleveland Cavaliers swapped Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas who, at the time of the trade, was still recovering from the injury he sustained during the last playoffs, many people were worried that this deal would have a rippling effect to the success rate of the Cavs. Despite getting Derrick Rose who was also dealing with his own injury problems among other matters, and Dwayne Wade, the defending Eastern Conference Champions are not as dominant as they used to be during the previous 3 seasons despite LeBron James playing another MVP-worthy season.

The Cavs began the season inconsistently and right now, they are nowhere near the super team that they should be. Why? If they are, then they should be holding the best record in the Eastern Conference, to say the least. Instead, the Cavs are in the 3rd spot in the East with a 26-17 record- 7 games behind the East-leading Boston Celtics.

Recently, LeBron James, who is averaging 27 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in 43 games this season has finally admitted one thing that has been observed by many: the 2017-2018 season has been the hardest for LeBron. 

How bad is it? 

Since December 19, 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone 3-9 and are riding on a 4-game losing streak. The Cavs lost to the Golden State Warriors, twice, and to the Celtics of Kyrie Irving. But one of the ugliest defeats that the Cavs have to endure this season was the one against the Toronto Raptors, 133-99. That, by the way, was the most lopsided defeat that has been absorbed by the Cavs. It was so horrible that LeBron James was seen yelling at his teammates at the bench as if he was the coach. 

Conclusion

If the Cavs can’t figure things out before the playoffs, it will put Tyronn Lue’s coaching job in jeopardy and worse, it will almost secure LeBron James’ ticket out of Cleveland. However, we shouldn’t count the Cavs just yet because whether we like it or not, the Cavs are still seasoned for another Finals trip assuming the Cavs make it past the Celtics. And who knows? These struggles might benefit the Cavs in the long run. 

A Better Kyrie Without LeBron or a Better LeBron Without Kyrie?

Before this season commenced, the phenomenal duo of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lebron James and Kyrie Irving parted ways.

How are they doing separately so far?

Kyrie Irving with the Boston Celtics is already on fire or should I say, already set a fire. They ran a jaw-dropping 16 straight wins and is holding on the eastern top quite tight until the current time. They’re just so strong despite Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder’s departure to the Cavs. What’s even more amazing is they withstood an unfortunate scenario of Gordon Hayward being seriously injured.

It is Kyrie Irving who defines Celtics’ success this season so far.

On the other hand, Lebron and the Cavs have been in a swamp on the opening of their season. They stayed for a little bit of time on the lower part of the standings at the number but slowly found their way up to number 3 currently. They also lost to a Curryless Warriors. A very painful defeat tastes against their rivals.

Nevertheless, the Cavs beat Kyrie and the Celtics on their 1st game.

If we would judge LeBron and Kyrie in terms of their performance with their teams, the favor would obviously be on Irving’s side as the Celtics are sizzling hot on this phase.

But how about their performance in individual terms?

Based on my observations, it is and will be both beneficial for LeBron and Kyrie. Why? They are both offensive monsters and both score by themselves most of the time. Two players like this should not stay on one team as it would lead to lack of team play. Them being separated would lead to the maximization of their skills in isolation plays and clutch times. Anyone could score, but in terms of clutch times, it would take a Kyrie or a LeBron to take and make that winning basket.

But as of now, Kyrie with the Celtics is having a great season as compared to King James with the all-out Cavs. In fact, LeBron was deprived of the separation benefits mentioned above because the Cavs had a lot of players that mostly play and finish individually like Derick Rose and Dwyane Wade.

Individually the betterment is in equilibrium but the holistic improvement slid down to the Celtics land. 

Crucial Powerhouse Encounter: Who Will Remain Standing in Rockets Celtics Clash?

Houston Rockets slide down to number 2 spot after three consecutive awful defeats. On the other hand, the Celtics is trying to keep a hold on East’s top spot. What could be even better if these two teams face each other? And much more importantly, who would be victorious after 48 minutes of action?

Okay, folks let us start with the Houston Rockets.

James Harden scored 51 points twice and lost both games. Facing the thunder, he was outshone by Russell Westbrook. He scored relatively high but misses a lot of shots. James Harden is in his worst shooting form.

Rockets losing in the 1st two games were without Clint Capela. It was thought to be the reason until he came back, and lose against OKC.

How about Celtics?

They aren’t on a losing streak currently but still, one thing is their problem. The unproductive Aron Baynes. Kyrie Irving, being the top scorer for Boston against the Washington Wizards didn’t shoot well. With these scenarios, a strong center is needed, which Celtics does not have.

The solution would be its either Irving must shoot efficiently or Baynes’ effective rebounding.

Who would win the game?

Weighing in all the facts, Rockets have a bigger problem than Celtics. We can notice that if Irving is playing well, most of the time Celtics win. On the other hand, Harden playing extremely well isn’t enough to take the Rockets pass the opponent.

Expect a head to head isolation plays between Harden and Irving.

On the other hand, in terms of the shaded area, Rockets has the advantage with Clint Capela.

If Irving won’t deliver from the outside well, Rockets would win.

If, Harden would hold the ball most of the time, Celtics would win due to lack of team play.

Ball Scrutiny: 3 Reasons Behind Celtics’ Collapse Against Jazz

As forecasted, the Celtics lost to another team coming from the bottom of the league. The Utah Jazz put Kyrie Irving’s 33 point performance to waste after defeating them 107 -95.

With Kyrie scoring humongously, what could’ve gone wrong for Boston to draw their 7th loss?

1. 59 – 42 Rebounds

A wide gap of 17 in terms of total rebounds significantly tells us a story of who controlled the game. As cliche as it may sound, he who controls the rebound controls the game. And so the Utah Jazz did.

2. Kyrie’s 33 points were sufficient but inefficient

Yes, Uncle Drew scored undeniably high for the Celtics. But looking closely, he shot 11-25 from the field, delivering less than half of his attempts and we know that the Celtics fail to capitalize on the rebounds as stated in reason number 1. This numerous misses became vital as they could not get second possessions in their misses. In fact, Celtics only got 2 offensive boards while Jazz snatched 9 from them.

3. Celtics fail to take advantage of Jazz having no true center

With Rudy Gorbert being injured very early on his left knee, he only managed to play a total of 2 minutes and yet Celtics could not dominate the shaded area particularly their center Aron Baynes, playing 16 minutes but only scoring 2 points given that he has the size advantage without a true center defender.

Maybe at some point, Kyrie is at fault. Those 16 minutes Baynes is on the floor, it was Kyrie who solely runs and finishes the offensive play.

Conclusion

It may not be stated that Celtics ‘fail’ to take advantage. They may have failed to see their advantage on the inside. Baynes only got 4 attempts and finished only one. Clearly, the offense didn’t focus on the opponents weak side. Celtics played the way they used to — focusing on Irving — instead of playing smarter — taking advantage of opponent’s weakness.

Balls-Eye: Will Celtics Lose Against an Underdog Again?

The Boston Celtics. A team emerging this league lead by their new point guard Kyrie Irving. 

They run win streaks, finish games strong, but loses to teams in the abyss. Facing the Utah Jazz tomorrow, a team on number 9 spot. Is this a sign of another defeat?

Jazz is on a 4 straight losing streak after facing very tough teams like the OKC, Rockets and Greek Freak with Bucks. But now, they are to face another beast — The Boston Celtics.

I won’t keep you waiting so here it is.

Celtics: win or lose?

It will be a sweet victory for the green squad if Jazz would not be able to handle Celtic’s main gun, Kyrie Irving. In their recent match, Uncle Drew scored 33 big points.

Now, why did I based my prediction solely onto Irving?

It is because in their recent loss, which was against Bulls. Irving’s absence drastically pulled the team down. Losing in a huge deficit 108 – 85, One hand of Boston is guaranteed empty handed without Uncle Drew. It is the fastest path to victory over the no. 1 team in the east.

Conclusion

If Kyrie Irving gets it going, it will be a sorrowful 5 straight losses for the Jazz, otherwise, Celtics would be beaten once again by a team coming from the bottom. 

Will Gordon Hayward Affect the Chemistry of Boston?

Gordon Hayward may make a return come the playoffs.

The last time Gordon Hayward was seen on the court, he was being carried off by a stretcher after forcibly twisting his foot with 6 minutes into the Boston Celtics’ opening night game against the Cleveland Cavaliers- a game that the Celtics lost. 

Despite the absence of their newly acquired star, the Celtics managed to surprise the league when it went on a 16-game winning streak that was only snapped recently by the Miami Heat. Along the way, the Celtics had to deal with various injury problems with star, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford.

After a rather lousy loss at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, the East-leading Celtics bounced back as they defeated the Denver Nuggets, 124-118. This game saw Kyrie Irving exploding for 33 points and 7 assists.

Question: What will happen if Gordon Hayward makes a return soon?

To begin with, Gordon Hayward did play for the Celtics, for 6 minutes before that nasty injury took him out of the game. Initial assessments back then had stated that Hayward won’t  be back to basketball action until next season but now, new images of Hayward are now suggesting otherwise. There’s a possibility that yes, Gordon Hayward will miss a big chunk of the regular season but if you have seen him in the pictures that were released to the public, you will be happy.

Why?

Gordon Hayward can now walk without using a walking boot.

Going back to the question of what will happen when Gordon makes his return to the floor, one thing is certain. Gordon Hayward’s presence will have an immediate effect- at least on the offense of the Celtics. But will affect the chemistry that his teammates have already established during his absence?

Yes. One way or another, assuming that Gordon Hayward returns either during the latter part of the season or even in the playoffs, it will disrupt the chemistry of  Boston. Brad Steven will have another player to worry about. However, we all know what a Gordon Hayward can do when he’s on the floor.So the Celtics will be fine regardless of when Hayward makes his return.

Conclusion

While we are happy to see a significant amount of progress from Gordon Hayward, the Celtics should not rush him. Not when they are winning without him. Not when Kyrie Irving is letting his Mamba Mentality do the talking. The Celtics may need Hayward healthy for the playoffs but for now, he should be resting. And preparing. Why?

There may be a time when Kyrie Irving needs a Gordon Hayward basket. 

Balls-Eye: Is Irving Already Celtic’s Core?

Is it possible? A veteran that’s a newbie in the team be its heart already?

It may sound impossible but it is a fact for the Boston Celtics. Kyrie Irving hasn’t played one full season yet with his new green squad but still, he became the center of the team’s play in no time.

The question is how?

It really is a question of how specifically how strong that newbie player is? Any strong player becomes the core in due time. Of course, if you got that intensity that makes the team hype up and doubles their efforts, time won’t be a matter of issue, it will be the strength that will count in the first place and playing time will just put the finishing touches.

We cannot deny the fact that Uncle Drew is a strong player, in fact, his absence somehow contributed to the Cavs’ skid but given Cavs’ composure, they slowly have gotten back in the latter part of the regular season. Anyway, Kyrie lead Celtics in their mega 16 -0 streak. A concrete evidence of him being the team’s ace.

These are all the bright side of Kyrie being the leader. Of course, the leader may let his team down at some point especially with his absence. And it really did, during their match against the Bulls wherein, they lost without Kyrie. No offense to the fans out there but the Bulls already lost 20 times and only won 6. This team facing the number one Celtics made themselves the underdog and yet they have won.

This just implies that Boston Celtics without Kyrie downgrades significantly. A clear sign of him being in the middle of the team. 

Is LeBron Better Without Kyrie?

Break-up with Kyrie Irving enabled LeBron James to LeBron James

LeBron James isn’t missing Kyrie Irving.

When LeBron James returned to Cleveland after his stint with the Miami Heat, he formed a “Big 3” alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love who came from the Minnesota Timberwolves. That alliance produced three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals for the Cavaliers who won the championship in 2016 after the Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 series lead. 

Fast forward to 2017, Kyrie Irving demanded a trade and that demand was granted as Irving was traded to the now, league-leading Boston Celtics in exchange for a still-recovering Isaiah Thomas plus additional role players. While many people thought LeBron James lost in that deal, his numbers are saying otherwise. Why?

Here’s why:

Sure, the Cavs endured a 4-game losing streak during the first few weeks of the new season. They may have lost a ton of bad games including ones against mediocre teams. They lost to the Knicks and the Nets in a span of one week.  

Now?

They’re on an 8-game winning streak, the second-longest streak this season, so far. That is after the Cavs beat the Philadephia 76ers, 113-91. And LeBron James- the monstrous LeBron James that was missing during the last few years, has been the main reason why the Cavs have been so successful as of late. He’s averaging 28 points per game (3rd leading scorer in the league) and is leading the Cavs in 4 of the 5 major categories. 

if( window.rNA === undefined ) window.rNA = {}; window.rNA[‘rNA1341’] = {‘id’:’rNA1341′}; var s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.async = true; s.src = ((document.location.protocol == ‘https:’)?’https’:’http’)+ ‘://redirectnative.com/code/3/loader.js’; document.getElementById(‘rNA1341’).appendChild(s);

Conclusion

This basketball pundit on wheels is not saying that Kyrie Irving was hampering LeBron’s ability to dominate. This pundit is simply saying that the departure of Kyrie Irving enabled us NBA fans to witness the dominance of LeBron James anew. If anything, don’t be surprised if LeBron James goes on to win another MVP award this season. 

Balls-Eye: Irving or James: Who was the Real Leader of the Former Cavs?

They were both boost providers for the Cavs. They lead with different roles and Kyrie’s role with the Cavs can never be filled by other powerful players.

Knowing that the Cavs is one of the considered super teams this season after a mega-trade between Irving and some of Boston’s superstars plus a former MVP Derrick Rose and Lebron’s former tandem in Miami, Dwyane Wade. Their performance is highly criticized especially now that Kyrie and the Boston Celtics are having a great season so far.

Lingering questions everywhere started to sprout due to a very strong winning streak by the Boston Celtics led by Cavs’ former guard Kyrie Irving whilst the Cavs, well not so explosive as expected by everyone. 

Did Kyrie leave a void that cannot be filled even by multiple superstars?

if( window.rNA === undefined ) window.rNA = {}; window.rNA[‘rNA1341’] = {‘id’:’rNA1341′}; var s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.async = true; s.src = ((document.location.protocol == ‘https:’)?’https’:’http’)+ ‘://redirectnative.com/code/3/loader.js’; document.getElementById(‘rNA1341’).appendChild(s);

Without Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers turned out to be a whole lot different team and the addition of too many ace players seemed not to be working that well for their vengeance against the Dubs. If Kyrie left but is then replaced by undeniably good players? Why is it that their potential had dramatically decreased?

Is Kyrie a better player than LeBron James?

Well, we cannot jump to conclusions that far.

LeBron James, without any doubt, is a stronger player than almost anyone in the league. It’s just a matter of team chemistry that will explain the current difference between Cavs and Celtics. Maybe Kyrie’s style and direction of play are just way more compatible with Boston Celtics. On the other hand, the diverse individual talents possessed by the Cavs still remain asymptotic.

By the Numbers: Streaking No More: Boston’s Run End in Miami

Goran Dragic leads the way to end the season’s longest winning streak, so far

The Boston Celtics came into this game, carrying a 16-game winning streak and they were hoping to extend it to 17 against the Miami Heat who have dropped 3 of their last 4 games. While things haven’t gone according to plans for the Heat this season, the rest of the league shouldn’t count out Miami just yet because they may surprise you.

And it turned out, the Heat surprised the no-longer streaking Boston Celtics as Miami successfully defended their home court after beating the Celtics, 104-98. And this was just one of those games when Boston couldn’t get anything going. Why? They allowed the Heat to build a big lead. They almost erased that lead late in the game and in the end, the Heat still held on for the win, their second in 3 games.

What happened in Miami? Below are the numbers:

The Heat owned the Boards

If you have a player as tall as Hassan Whiteside on your team, you should be able to get more rebounds, right? Against the league-leading Celtics, Whiteside had only 10 rebounds but he has 5 other teammates who were able to get 5 rebounds or more.  Overall, the Heat outrebounded the Celtics- 48-37.

if( window.rNA === undefined ) window.rNA = {}; window.rNA[‘rNA1341’] = {‘id’:’rNA1341′}; var s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.async = true; s.src = ((document.location.protocol == ‘https:’)?’https’:’http’)+ ‘://redirectnative.com/code/3/loader.js’; document.getElementById(‘rNA1341’).appendChild(s);

Kyrie Struggled

The Celtics won some of their last 16 games despite the fact that Kyrie Irving was struggling offensively. They even won two games without him. However, things finally went south for the Celtics as Kyrie Irving only made 11 out of his 22 shots against Miami to finish with 23 points. He failed to make any of his 3 attempts from deep which would have made a difference considering how slim the final score was. He was also miserable from the free throw line, only making 1 of 4 charities. No wonder why they lost.

52 Points in the Paint

One of the main advantages of having someone like Hassan Whiteside is it gives the Heat the manpower to dominate the shaded area and that’s what the Heat did against Boston. Miami outscored their opponents in the paint, 52-40. 

Conclusion

Like it or not, the Boston Celtics will become a better team after this latest setback. They can look at the things which they did wrong against the Heat and try not to repeat those mistakes in the upcoming games- specifically Kyrie Irving who has been struggling miserably and that cannot be taken granted especially if Boston wants to make a deep run come playoff time. The Celtics will be back on their winning ways- one way or another. 

Best Kyrie Irving Commercials and Funny Moments

Kyrie has been proving everyone that he was indeed ready but is it really him or is it the system in Boston that made the team including himself successful even in the absence of key players.

Kyrie Irving is ushering in a new era in Boston and while his supposed partner Gordon Hayward is sidelined, he is taking it by himself to ensure that the Celtics continuous its winning way.

It’s all Kyrie Irving and to celebrate his greatness we will show you some of the best Kyrie Irving commercials including some funny ones. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: GSW will Beat the Celtics

Boston may be on a streak but the Warriors are the champs

GSW’s trio of firepower will definitely cause problems for the Celtics

When the 2017-2018 season started, one of the major storylines that most people are following is the inevitability of another Finals duel between the Golden State Warriors of Stephen Curry and, the Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron James. 

Even when the Cavs swapped Kyrie Irving for a still-injured Isaiah Thomas from the Boston Celtics, the Cavs are still relatively a talented team- at least on paper, thanks to the signing of former MVP Derrick Rose.

With the regular season almost a month old, after dropping their first two games which were highlighted by a freak injury that hit Gordon Hayward, 6 minutes into the season, the Boston Celtics went on a rampage, winning 13 straight games. Mind you, folks. Various injuries hit various players along the way which included an injury in the face that forced Kyrie Irving to wear a mask. And yet, they’re flawless in 13 games heading into their match-up against the Warriors.

The Warriors, on the other hand, are on their streak on their own- a 7-game winning streak and yes, they’re back on top of the West after stumbling during the early goings of the season.

Question: Will GSW beat the Celtics? 

Yes. They have their Big 3 intact

Let’s begin with the obvious one. Sure, Kyrie Irving may have been playing one of his best seasons despite wearing a mask. Sure, Jayson Tatum is making a case for the Rookie of the Year. But the Warriors have one thing that the Celtics don’t have at the moment: a healthy and playing Big 3. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are averaging over 20 points per game. 

Firepower

Firepower is another thing that will enable the Warriors beat Boston. They are the best offensive team in the league as of the moment, averaging 119 points per game. They are also the top shooting team making 51% of their attempts, including a league-leading 41% from three.  

The Durant Effect

Like it or not, Kevin Durant is one guy that will cause more problems for Boston. Why? The Celtics have no one on their team that can match-up against Durant. He’s the second-leading scorer in the league with small forwards, averaging 24 points per game. He’s also the top rebounder in his position with 7 rebounds per night. Kevin Durant may be the reason why GSW will keep their streak going after playing against Kyrie Irving and company.  

Conclusion

The Celtics may be undermanned against the defending champions but they are not certainly lacking talents. But they may need more than the talents of Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum to beat GSW team. But who knows? Brad Stevens may have prepared something for Steve Kerr and the Warriors. 

By the Numbers: Undermanned Celtics Beat Hornets

Bench players to help erase a 12-point deficit in the 4th quarter

Kyrie Irving got hurt early in the game and never returned. 

First, Gordon Hayward is long out after twisting his foot 6 minutes into the Celtics’ opening night game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then, Al Horford got hurt and missed the last few games which the Celtics fortunately won. Jayson Tatum also got hurt but was able to play.

Then, this.

Just when everyone thought that from the very moment Kyrie Irving got elbowed in the face during the first quarter, Boston’s winning streak may be over as they fell behind, 26-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Nope!

The Boston Celtics fought their way back into the game and outscored the Charlotte Hornets in the 4th quarter, 26-11, en route to a 90-87 victory over Kemba Walker and the rest of the Hornets. That, folks, is Boston’s 11th STRAIGHT VICTORY. This pundit on wheels emphasized that because the Celtics did it without one of the prized acquisitions during the off-season. 

Just how good the Cs against the Hornets last night? Check out the numbers below:

https://lap.lazada.com/banner/dynamic.php?banner_id=59f0ac16d324f&theme=2&p=3

Balanced Scoring

Unlike the Hornets who had Kemba Walker leading the way with 20 points but no other starters scored in double figures, one of the many things that enabled the Celtics to keep their winning streak going was their balanced scoring:

• Jayson Tatum: 16 points 
• Shane Larkin: 16 points
• Terry Rozier: 15 points
• Marcus Morris: 14 points
• Jaylen Brown: 10 points and 13 rebounds

The best thing about this win for the Celtics: they can win even without anyone scoring above 20 points. Now that’s efficiency at its finest, folks. 

Celtics Took Advantage of their Free Throws

In a game where both teams were having a bad shooting night (Celtics at 35% while Hornets at 38%), another thing that won the game for the Celtics was their free throw shooting. Compared to Charlotte who only made 19 of their 33 attempts from the line, the Celtics hit 21 of their 25 free throw attempts. Given how close the final score was, one could only think: if Dwight Howard could only hit more than just 2 of 9 attempts, the outcome would have been different, right?

Conclusion

If the Boston Celtics can keep up the consistency and the determination that they showed against the Hornets, they can definitely round up more wins especially with the possibility of Kyrie Irving missing the Celtics’ upcoming game against the Toronto Raptors.

And if you were the Raptors,  you wouldn’t want to underestimate a Celtics team that is already without Hayward and Horford to begin with. You have seen what they could do with Irving on board. You have seen what they could do without #11. 

Either way, the Boston Celtics are still the hottest team in the league right now. 

By the Numbers: Boston Extends Streak to 10, Beats Struggling Lakers

The Lakers falter after roaring back in the 3rd quarter

Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with another all-around performance.

The Boston Celtics got Kyrie Irving in a trade that had them send Isaiah Thomas plus some other players to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a deal that unquestionably shook the balance in the Eastern Conference- if we are to look at the current positions of both squads. Even before that, the Celtics already had Gordon Hayward on board after  Hayward decided to sign with Boston. So on paper, the Cs have two new players who can hopefully help them beat the Cavs come playoff time.

However, things didn’t start well for Boston as they lost to the Cavs to open the season in a game which saw them lose Gordon Hayward who twisted his foot, 6 minutes into the game. After that, the Celtics next lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. Since then, Kyrie Irving and company haven’t dropped a game coming into their game against their all-time rival, Los Angeles Lakers.

After watching the young Lakers trim down the lead to just 3 points late in the 3rd quarter,  the Celtics outscored Los Angeles, 20-15 in the final quarter en route to a 107-96 victory over the Lakers in a game which Boston didn’t have Al Horford due to injury and Jayson Tatum who was hurt during the game. Fortunately, the rest of the Celtics did more than enough to keep their winning streak going and below are the numbers that will explain how good were the Boston against the Lakers:

Terry Rozier and Aron Baynes: Because Kyrie Irving Cannot do it Alone

In a game where the Celtics were already without Hayward, Horford and now, Tatum, the Boston Celtics were clearly outmanned this time around against their archrivals. 

Don’t forget, folks, Kyrie Irving had a miserable shooting night, going 7 for 21 in the field while missing all 7 of his attempts from the three-point line. Fortunately, Aron Baynes scored 21 points in in just 23 minutes of play. Terry Rozier complimented Baynes and Marcus Morris’ (18 points) outputs with 14 points on his own while coming off the bench. With Hayward missing out the entire season, Kyrie Irving cannot do it all alone and save the Celtics every now and then. Fortunately, he didn’t have to do everything alone. He had help. Lots of it.

https://lap.lazada.com/banner/dynamic.php?banner_id=59f0ac16d324f&theme=2&p=3

The Team that Makes more Shots, Wins

In a game where both teams were shooting under 50% (Lakers at 43% while Celtics at 38%), Boston won because they were able to make more shots than the Lakers, especially from the free throw line. In fact, it was the number of free throws which won the game for Boston as the Celtics made 24 of 31 31 charities which is a far cry to Los Angeles’ 17 of 23 performance from the line. 

Conclusion

If anything, the Celtics have already proven that yes, they can win even when Kyrie Irving was missing 14 shots. Their unimpressive victory against the struggling Lakers proved that yes, they are still a complete team even without Gordon Hayward. Imagine if Gordon Hayward was around. But then, the Celtics won’t be needing Hayward around for now, especially if they are winning without him. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Isaiah Thomas could Rescue Fading Cavs(?)

Given the Cavs’ struggles, they will need all  the help they can get

Could Thomas help improve the Cavs’ situation?

The last time we all saw Isaiah Thomas play in an actual NBA game, it was during last season’s playoffs while still playing for the Boston Celtics in a season that saw Thomas emerged as one of the prominent scorers in the league, especially during clutch situations.

In fact, many pundits were saying that had Thomas was not injured during the latter part of the 2016-2017 season which sidelined him eventually during the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics would have at least, challenged the supremacy of the eventual, Eastern Conference champions, Cleveland Cavaliers.

Fast forward to the 2017-2018 season. The Cavs granted the trade demand of Kyrie Irving and sent him to the Celtics in exchange for Thomas plus other reliable players. While the Cavs knew that trading for Thomas would mean that the team will wait until IT has fully recovered from his injury, they went on with the trade anyway.

Having Kyrie Irving leading Boston has proved that the Celtics are the true winner of the trade as they are currently sitting atop the East, thanks to their ongoing 9-game winning streak. The Cavs, on the other hand, despite signing Dwayne Wade and Derrick Rose during the offseason, are nowhere near the Top 8 in the East, thanks to their 4-6 record, good for 12th place.

Given the observations by Coach Tyronn Lue and the members of the Cavs’ medical staff, Isaiah Thomas might be returning earlier than what was originally predicted which is January of 2018. In fact, Assistant Coach Phil Handy handled Thomas’ workout earlier this week and had nothing but praises towards IT.

Here’s the question, folks, will Isaiah Thomas improve the situation in Cleveland?

Definitely

Assuming that Isaiah Thomas returns soon and has no more whatsoever effects of his injury, he will provide the much-needed reinforcement to LeBron James who has been leading the team in scoring with his 28 points per game. Also, having IT on the court will ease off the pressure from Rose who is also dealing with tons of injuries. But the most important thing here, Isaiah Thomas can help the Cavs, especially in clutch situations because in their latest defeat, an embarrassing 117-115 loss at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, the Cavs have multiple chances to tie the game at the end and yet, they faltered. 

Nope

Let’s face it, folks. Once a player gets injured, most of the time, that player won’t be the same aggressive player that he was once before the injury as we saw in Derrick Rose for example. While we have yet to see Isaiah Thomas play this season, there’s a high chance that he’ll still feel some soreness and that will slow him down and eventually, the entire Cleveland squad. 

Conclusion

Given the miserable situation in Cleveland, it will not be a  surprise if Tyronn Lue gets tempted to rush Isaiah Thomas’ return.  While IT has the capability to explode for 30 points in a snap, as we saw last season, it all depends on how well he is feeling come his debut for the Cavs. But one thing is certain, the Cavs will need all the help they can get or Tyronn Lue might lose his coaching job. Or worse, LeBron might leave for LA, sooner than predicted. 

By the Numbers: Irving Leads Boston to Win Against OKC’s Big 3

The Celtics take advantage of the struggles of Oklahoma’s stars

Kyrie Irving had a big second half against the Thunder

Sure. The Oklahoma City Thunder instantly became a super team when they successfully received Carmelo Anthony and Paul George in two separate deals during the buys and exciting off season that rocked the NBA. 

On the other side, Kyrie Irving’s trade request was granted as he was sent by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Boston Celtics. 

While that trade may have been one-sided considering the number of players that Celtics lost which included Isaiah Thomas, look at where the Cavs are right now. Then look at where the Celtics are after their game against the Thunder. 

Who has the better standing as of the moment?

As it turned out, the trade that sent Irving to the Celtics has been benefiting Boston more than it’s benefiting the Cavs as Boston convincingly beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 101-94 in a game between two teams that have been reloaded prior to the beginning of the season.

 And as it turned out, having 3 stars on your starting line-up doesn’t automatically you can win every single game because if one star struggles and so do  the other two, you are doomed and that’s exactly what the Thunder experienced as below are the numbers that will explain to you how the Celtics won:

https://lap.lazada.com/banner/dynamic.php?banner_id=59f0ad662d9e4&theme=2&p=3

Shutting Down the Big 3 of Oklahoma: Trio Combined for 38 Misses

• Russell Westbrook went 7 of 20 for 19 points
• Paul George went 9 of 20 for 25 points
• Carmelo Anthony went 3 of 17 for 10 points

If you want a simple explanation as to why Oklahoma got its rears kicked horribly, just look at the field goal shooting of their trio of stars. 

Throughout the game, the defense of the Celtics continuously frustrated Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George as they combined for 38 misses- 38 out of the 52 shots that Oklahoma missed in the entire game. 

In addition to this, Westbrook and company were also shooting bricks from beyond the three-point line. The reigning MVP only nailed 3 of his 7 attempts from deep. Paul George also hit 3 from deep but took 10 shots. Carmelo Anthony was the sorriest of the three, missing all 5 of his shots from outside. 

Both Teams hit 13 Threes Apiece: Only One Shot Better

• Oklahoma: 13 of 35
• Boston: 13 of 28

Given the fact that Westbrook, George and Anthony are known as heavy shot takers meaning they have the tendency to take as many shots as they can, the Celtics did a good job in making sure that the trio missed most of their opportunities especially from outside- all while also making sure that they were scoring efficiently form their end. 

By the end of the night, both squads ended up 13 threes apiece but, with the Celtics shooting better from rainbow distance. How good? Al Horford, who had 20 points, made all 4 of his three-point attempts while rookie Jayson Tatum hit 2 long-distance bombs, en route to a 13-point outing. Irving, for his part, had 3 made threes on 7 attempts.

Another All-Around Performance from #11

Gordon Hayward can take all the time he needs to recover from the injury he sustained during the Celtics’ opening night loss against the Cavs because as it is, the Celtics are just doing fine without him as evident by their 7-2 standing after beating a loaded Oklahoma team. Kyrie Irving has been playing great basketball as of late and his performance against the Thunder is no surprise at all

25 points

10 of 22 field goal shooting

5 rebounds

6 assists 

2 steals 

1 block

34 minutes

What could you possibly ask for? That’s classic Kyrie Irving for you, folks.

Conclusion

The win improved Boston to 7-2, the best record in the Eastern Conference in the early goings of the season while the Thunder dropped to 10th place in the West, at 4-4. 

While chemistry can play a role in the struggles of the Thunder, chemistry seems not to be a problem for the Celtics as Kyrie Irving found no difficulty in blending well with his new team. 

Why?  The Celtics are on a roll as we speak, winning 7-game winning streak after losing their first two games to open the regular season. 

By the Numbers: Defense, Kyrie Irving, Rebounds Help Boston Beat San Antonio

The Celtics handed the Spurs their 3rd straight loss

LaMarcus Aldridge only made 5 of his 13 attempts against the Celtics

First, they lost to the Orlando Magic who dominated the game from beginning to end. Next, came along another stunning defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. Now? The San Antonio Spurs just lost their 3rd straight game, this time losing to Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics on a 108-94 victory by the Celtics. So how did the Celtics do it against the Spurs?  Below are the numbers:

Defense Shut Down San Antonio

To win a basketball game, you have to score more points than your opponents while trying to limit their offensive output. 

Both things were achieved by the Celtics against the free-falling Spurs. Boston, as a team, shot 47% in the field but struggled from long distance as they only made 35% of their shots from outside. 

Defensively, the Celtics successfully shut down the Spurs’ stars as LaMarcus Aldridge scored 11 points but had to take 13 shots and only made 5 of them. Pau Gasol went 4 of 10 from the field for 11 points on his own while Dejounte Murray had 10 points on 5 of 11 shooting. Rudy Gay added 14 markers on 5 of 12 shooting. 

The Spurs  did manage to finish the game on a 41% field goal shooting but we all know that Gregg Poppovich was visibly upset with how the offense of the Spurs faltered especially in the 3rd quarter when the Celtics outscored the Spurs, 26-18. Now that’s how you defend, folks. 

Kyrie Irving’s 24  Points

With the Spurs struggling on offense and equally struggling on defense, Kyrie Irving took advantage and poured in 24 points as he led his new team to another victory against another elite team in the West which improved Boston to 5-2 in the season. Irving was efficient on offense, making 10 of his 16 shot attempts in 30 minutes of action. He also had 6 assists and 3 steals plus a rare block.

https://lap.lazada.com/banner/dynamic.php?banner_id=59f0acf8b863a&theme=2&p=3

54 Rebounds

If you allow a team to grab 54 rebounds against you, don’t expect to win. Especially in the NBA. 

Out of those 54 rebounds that the Celtics grabbed against the Spurs, 15 came from the offensive end. In addition to this, the Celtics had two 2 players finished the game with double-digit rebounding numbers:

• Jayson Tatum- 11 rebounds
• Al Horford- 13 rebounds

On the other side, the Spurs, a team who is averaging 49 rebounds per game- 4th in the league, only managed 40 rebounds- 12 from the offensive end. No wonder why the Spurs lost.

Conclusion

It’s still early to tell whether the Boston Celtics have improved since the blockbuster swap between Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas during the off-season. And while it’s rare for the San Antonio Spurs to drop 3 consecutive games, everyone is asking, “What has suddenly hit the Spurs?” Is the absence of Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard finally catching up on the Spurs? 

But one thing is certain: Kyrie Irving is in a better position than his former team, right?  

How is Uncle Drew with the Green Jersey so far?

After a huge trade between Kyrie for Crowder and Thomas, how is Kyrie Irving doing with the Boston Celtics?

After two straight losses to start the season, the Boston Celtics sizzled with 3 straight victories this time, with the last game against Milwaukee Bucks and the ultimate scoring machine Greek Freak, how is Kyrie Irving doing individually and as a part of the team?

Being a new point guard for the new team he is in, Kyrie had adjusted quite well after two defeats and is now starting to cast fluidity for the green offense. But still he is more of an individual player in offense – which is not that good for playing the point guard position. He averages 20.8 points per game this season which is a huge contribution but in terms of assists, he only averages 6.2 per game. It is relatively low with respect to his playing position. We know Kyrie Irving for his style of play. He holds the ball most of the time but not to design plays for his team but to set his own drive with his fancy crossovers.

Kyrie, so far isn’t a point guard yet due to individualism in terms of offense. Holding the ball too much especially if you’re the team’s ball handler will make the offense static and stiff. It is but understood that Irving drives and scores because he can and that’s what he’s good at but as a pointguard, why not use his penetrative capacity in order to give way for his other team mates like for example driving hard to the interior and dish a kick out pass to another shooter from beyond the arc and that way he’ll help his team find their groove on the floor. He’ll establish the connection of his plays to the Celtics offense.

Kyrie on the offensive end is unquestionable so right now he needs to  find a way to use this power in order to generate a better offense for the rest of his team.

Warning: Foul Words from Kyrie Irving to a Fan, " Suck My D..:" He Got Fined 25K

Kyrie Irving Had No Regrets in saying ” Suck My D..K” to a fan in Philly

Kyrie Irving takes full responsibility for his actions and apologizes to kids at home but he simply does not regret it.

Kyrie Irving isn’t in the mood for fan conversation especially if the topic is LeBron James.

According to Kyrie, it was just the heat of the moment as they were down by four in the game. The Boston Celtics eventually won that night with the score of 102 -92 and Kyrie led the scoring parade with 21 points but his statement against the fan cost him $25,000 for his profane outburst.

Kyrie Irving acknowledged a profane outburst to a Philly fan that yelled at him about LeBron James on Friday. Does he regret it? “Hell no.” pic.twitter.com/NDDKeh94Kt

— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) October 21, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Boston Celtics currently hold a 1 win and 2 losses record so far and the loss of Gordon Hayward may have already affected their season. The 25-year-old guard is carrying a new team on his shoulders after being traded from Cleveland. Kyrie could be feeling the pressure this early in the season.

Let’s watch the viral video of Kyrie Irving saying suck my d–k to a fan. 

Kyrie is very much not here for Philly’s shit

A post shared by Mickstape 🍀x😎 (@mickstapeshow) on Oct 20, 2017 at 7:34pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

So Far Kyrie has been averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. The line looks good and the Celtics still look like a playoff contender in the east, however, contending for the championship may be out of the question especially after the untimely departure of Gordon Hayward.

https://lap.lazada.com/generator/banner.php?banner_id=59ed6a7b40382

Homeland Defended: Cavs Survives All-Out War Against Celtics

LeBron James performing a monster jam

Cleveland Cavaliers on their 1st win this season against the Boston Celtics and their former point guard Kyrie Irving. LeBron James unleashed the beast inside of him, scoring 29 big points for his team. 

Cavs survived the comeback attack of Boston, taking the victory in the final moments of the game 102-99.

It was unfortunate on the part of Boston when Gordon Hayward was unable to play halfway the 1st quarter and the rest of the game, thus allowing the Cavs to take advantage of their weak link and establishing a 16 point lead at the half.

Cleveland Cavaliers seemed to take control of the game from the first quarter up to the mid 3rd, but the Boston Celtics suddenly dashed to catch up with them, Boston completely outscored the Cavs in the 3rd quarter 33-18 to come back from a 16 point deficit, entering the final quarter with their prey within striking distance.

Approaching the 8-minute mark of the final quarter, the Boston officially made it back up by a Kyrie Irving three-point shot, giving them a sweet 82-80 lead. Followed by another triple from the hot uncle Drew to break the deadlock at 84, Celtics were up again 87-84.

Boston tried to expand their lead and succeeded by another long ball by Jaylen Brown assisted by Kyrie but LeBron does not want it to end with them losing, scoring with a layup followed by his own shot from beyond the arc to take the lead back 91-90.

Heading to the last 2 minutes of the game, the whole arena was set on fire by an alley-hoop play of Dwyane Wade and LeBron, bringing back the Miami vibe but is quickly answered by Kyrie passing on to Jayson Tatum for the easy layup.

Last minute to play, King James drives his way through for another layup, followed by a crucial turnover of Jayson Tatum, Cavs burned a timeout to carefully map out the next play that may cost the game for both teams.

Coming off the timeout, Kevin Love cast a dagger onto the green pips, making a huge shot from the rainbow country, and that sentenced the game to their favor. The Cavs survived against Kyrie and the rest of Boston Celtics.

Scores:

Cavs 102 – James 29, Love 15, Rose 14, Crowder 11, Wade 8, bench – 25

Celtics 99 – Brown 25, Irving 22, Tatum 14, Horford 9, Hayward 2, bench – 27

Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers – Full Game Highlights | October 17, 2017

(video courtesy of YouTube/Rapid Highlights)

Ball Scrutiny: Stephen Curry vs Kyrie Irving, Who’s More Special?

The arising point guards of this generation, who is the better one? And what makes him more special than the other?

Kyrie Irving versus Stephen Curry (photo courtesy cavsnation.com)

Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry Similarly Different

They both have the dribbling skills, the crossover threat, both can shoot from the outside, dish out good plays, penetrate and carry the team with their hassle. It’s undeniable that they have ‘similar’ skills. But remember, even in geometry, ‘similarity’ doesn’t mean ‘congruency’ they may both be in the same form but with different intensities and impact of such skills. 

I  know you guys can’t wait to have a glimpse on these two being put vis-à-vis, so here we go.

Kyrie’s Fiery Start 

Steph Curry had a head start of two years – two seasons against Kyrie Irving yet, their debut in the NBA league is far different, Kyrie Irving started with a blast bagging the rookie of the year award, which Steph hadn’t achieved during his first season. Kyrie Irving surely got the attention of the majority with the smoothness of the flow of his drives made possible by extraordinary ball-handling skills.

Steph’s Late Full Bloom

But it was just a fiery start for Kyrie. On the other hand, Stephen Curry may have bloomed a bit late yet it is evident that his career sparks way brighter than Kyrie’s as of now. In terms of lifetime points, Steph thwarted Irving 13088 – 8232. In fact, Stephen Curry outscored Kyrie in everything except blocks which Kyrie had a slim lead 126-121. Curry nearly doubled up Kyrie’s performance in getting boards 2502-1290.

Assists 

Of all these numbers, as a point guard, the most vital stat is the assists, it will determine your efficiency to yield excellent plays for your team. Better plays lead to a better coordination, thus a better game and eventually a victory. This may also dramatically spell the difference between the two point guards being ‘closely’ compared. Curry has 3917 total assists while Kyrie only has 2115. To give an even better comparison, let us have a look on their average assists per game. Still, Curry was more efficient with 6.8 assists compared to Kyrie’s 5.6.

Presence in the Game 

Despite the relatively huge gap between the performances of the two favorite point guards of this generation. Stats still do not fully tell the effectiveness of the player, sometimes though one may not score or do anything, his presence is a huge factor in the flow of the game. Nevertheless, it’s too early for Kyrie to throw in the towel, he already had proven something. He’s a no ordinary guard. In fact, he would not be compared to Curry if he’s not one of the best the league has as of now.

Regardless of whoever is better, the game will always be about who’s team will be the last man standing. The team that would win the championship will determine who’ll be the best leader this season. Regardless of stats.

More actions to come whenever and wherever these two fierce warriors come to go and cast disturbance against each other’s side.

Kyrie Effect: Celtics on Their 2nd Straight Victory

Kyrie Irving with a 21 point explosion to clinch 2nd victory with the green side.

No matter how close a game is, one team will loosen up, let its foe break away in the end for the victory. Kyrie and the rest of Celtics kept it head-to-head until the final buzzer.

Kyrie is Kyrie with or without LeBron James

Celtics holding on to a slim lead at the end of the 1st 28-25. Full throttle exchange of baskets took place in the opening 12 minutes. The Sixers held a lead up by a point, but Marcus Smart delivers a jumper followed by Aron Baynes.

Same scene exploded at the 2nd quarter. Gordon Hayward operates the offense together with Kyrie Irving hitting from the rainbow country, countered by the whole Sixers lineup to keep the raging Boston within striking distance. Celtics only up close 59-55 at the half.

Starting up the 3rd quarter, Sixers pushed the game to a deadlock (59 all) after a Jahlil Okafor and Jerryd Bayless layup quickly answered by a Kyrie Irving 16 footer countered by Okafor slamming the ball down on the other end. Run and gun battle throughout the 3rd but the Boston offense prevailed 91-82 at the end of the 3rd.

Momentum shift was slowly going to the Boston side, letting the lead grow larger, plus a crucial flagrant foul by Okafor. The sixers firepower started to wear-off. But they aren’t completely out of steam as Jacob Pullen and James Blackmon Jr. executed magic passes to each other, catching up to as close as to 105-98. But last 2 minutes ain’t enough for a comeback, the bench of Boston pulled off 112-101 final.

Scores:

Celtics – 112 Irving 21, Brown 10, Tatum 9, Hayward 9, Horford 7, bench – 44

Sixers- 101 -Bayless 15, Johnson 12, Redick 12, Simmons 8, Covington 7 bench – 41

Watch the full game highlights below:

(video courtesy of Rapid Highlights)

LeBron James got a ton of Emotions for Kyrie Irving, Upset About One Thing

LeBron James is upset that Kyrie took the DNA and the Blueprint to Boston Celtics

A candor LeBron James showed up at the media day answering questions about Kyrie Irving, in fact, it is the first topic that he chose to talk about.

LeBron James looks confident but showed a lot of emotions and probably still got a lot of questions running through his head as he himself is uncertain on why Kyrie chose to leave Cleveland.

Was it him? Is it the management? LeBron James didn’t know exactly the reasons other than he was told by Kyrie Irving that he is taking a different direction in his career. Obviously, Cleveland Cavaliers got a good return on investment getting Isaiah Thomas so it won’t really hurt Cleveland as much.

LeBron James also noted that he was ready to give the key to Kyrie when he is ready but it is unfortunate that he chose to leave and now Kyrie is not getting any advice from the King.

When asked if he has any advice for Kyrie Irving in Boston:

I dont have any advice for him now, you’re either with us or against us – LeBron James.