The Toronto Raptors climbed out of a two game deficit by winning both of their home games against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern conference Finals. Kawhi Leonard has been a shining example of exactly what the Boston Celtics are missing.
Can you honestly imagine Kyrie Irving, hobbled, giving it his all to overcome the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks as Kawhi Leonard did last night? For that matter, is there anyone on the Boston Celtics that could have offered up such a heroic performance?
That is not meant to slight the entire roster. After all, guys like Al Horford always play hard on both ends of the floor. Marcus Smart even came back prematurely to give his team minutes and a pulse in their final two games (even if they weren’t the absolute most productive minutes).
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But who on the roster can you point to and say definitely they are a leader? Jayson Tatum hasn’t proven nearly enough yet. Jaylen Brown is showing less star potential and becoming more of a Harrison Barnes, a solid starter but not a top option.
Even Horford is more of the veteran companion piece than center piece. Think Chris Bosh in Miami or even Marc Gasol on the current Raptors.
The Boston Celtics would be wise to pursue someone that can serve as a leader-by-example. There are a few of those kinds of players on the free agent market, but it would require Boston butchering their entire roster to sign one.
Then again if Horford can sign on for a discount, as he said he is willing to, maybe the team can rid itself of some its bad contracts (Smart and Gordon Hayward) and make a run at the top tier of free agents.
Having Leonard next to Tatum and Brown would form a trio bursting with defensive potential. Seeing Jimmy Butler drag the young Celtics into playoff wars would be fun. Hell even Kemba Walker would go all out like he has the past two years carrying a sub-mediocre Hornets team.
The point is, Leonard showed Boston Celtics fans last night what they’re missing. The Eastern Conference is more formidable than ever, and without a true leader, the Celtics will never get over the hump.