The Celtics young stars have in Kyrie what Kyrie never had in LeBron. A mentor and a teacher more than just an alpha.
The main story this postseason has been the magical run made by the youngest team in the playoffs, the Boston Celtics. Now sitting with a 3-2 lead, headed to Cleveland, the Brad Stevens led team is only one win away from their first NBA finals appearance since 2010.
At the beginning of the season an eastern conference finals appearance was expected for the Celtics. However, five minutes into the season expectations changed. But the Celtics bounced back the way we have become much accustomed to.
Once again, expectations changed again when a knee infection derailed all-star point guard Kyrie Irving’s season. However, the month prior to the postseason, the run of games with Irving sitting might have been the most critical point of the Celtics’ season. The Celtics learned to play without their leader and all star, but more importantly Irving was the mentor and teacher to the Celtics young studs instead of just playing the cheerleader.
The impact that Irving has had on this Celtics team is evident in the play of Terry Rozier more than anything. A third year player drafted just outside the lottery at the 16 spot arouse doubt and confusion quickly after being drafted. A team with a plethora of combo guards just drafted another one. However, “Scary Terry” quickly erased any doubt at the beginning of the season.
These playoffs served to create more national acclaim for the Louisville product. The sudden poise and basketball IQ that Rozier is broadcasting in the postseason is a reflection of the off court help and mentoring that Irving has given to Rozier.
The same can be said for Jayson Tatum. A player who is going to demolish almost every postseason rookie record known to man and a player who is the apex offensive player on the Celtics. Twenty year old Jayson Tatum – it seems only sac religious to not mention Tatum’s age whenever we rave about how great he already is – has taken his game to the next level and already has the makings to be an All-NBA level player in the next couple of years. The constant support he has from Irving and maturity he is showing on the court already seems to replicate the way Irving carries himself on the court.
When Irving was sent to Boston this offseason the obvious questions arose of whether it had to do with a conflict between him and LeBron James. However, it has become more and more obvious that it isn’t James as a person that pushed Irving away, yet it is the way James carries himself on the court.
The everlasting narrative that follows LeBron led teams – at least when he’s been in Cleveland – has been LeBron and the rest. LeBron doesn’t have enough help when they lose and when they win it’s due to his brilliance. And with all due respect a lot of the time – recently more so – he hasn’t received adequate help from his teammates.
Yet the point stands that wherever LeBron goes, it will always be Alpha and then the pack. It will always be Batman and Robin such as in Miami with Wade and in Cleveland with Irving and now with Love. In Boston, Irving got to escape that narrative and that atmosphere for a team that possessed a plethora of talent that any player can step up and become that alpha, which is what we’ve seen this postseason with countless players stepping up and leading the team at any given point.
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Irving doesn’t want to be the Batman to Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Gordon Hayward’s Robin. He wants a balanced team that is poised for sustained success. The Celtics have shown to be the Avengers with Lebron clearly playing the antagonist, Thanos. And at this moment, it looks like the Celtics have LeBron’s number.