New England is an odd sports town. Spoiled by success by all of the four local teams a generation of fans have had a long time to learn the new reality that sports isn’t just one constant gut punch after another. Even somebody like me, born near the coming of the new millennium, is unable to come around to the belief all is not unwell. As for the rest of New Englanders, the type of characters this region houses is the complete antithesis to the outgoing, free spirited Celtics in the locker room. We can barely handle the quiet, uniform sound bites Patriot players provide on a weekly basis without drawing conspiratorial connections and professing the team’s imminent downfall.
Boston is a baseball town first. Hockey second. Football third. Basketball last. Certainly this has nothing to do with the game itself. Boston loves them some Bill Russell and Larry Bird. We just easily get annoyed when Kyrie Irving constantly says stuff that seeming he’s taken a trip to a Deepak Chopra quote generator website. In a year Irving’s approval rating among the crowd of people who listen to Felger and Mazz every day. Fans simply don’t trust Irving like they trust Tom Brady; they don’t even completely believe he is genuine. You’ll still find people complaining he didn’t participate in optional off-season O.T.As over a year ago.
Why are we so negative? Is the fictitious “Curse of the Bambino” and all its emotional scaring it caused in its 86-year reign of terror caused some lingering effects despite the fifteen-year stretch which saw four world championships since? Why, yes. That’s probably the case. We are raised by our dad’s who were spent most of their lives being traumatized. Many of them remember Roger Clemens stroking his Toronto Blue Jays cap his unapologetic demeanor towards fans who he put through Hell by giving them constant cold shoulders and repaying the team who paid him handsomely by getting overweight and declining noticeably. Many of the older generation just assume that’s who Kyrie Irving is: a hired mercenary. A damn fine one. But he is not loyal to anyone but himself and will jump ship even if logic suggests it isn’t the best move if he wants to win basketball games.
Even if Irving signs the contract pledging his prime years to the Celtics organization the feeling of distrust will remain prominent amongst New Englanders wry of his attitude.
This playoffs are important for Irving. Not only is this is first rodeo without LeBron James, it’s his chance to rewrite the narrative and undo the perception he’s an overrated, cancerous figure. The two games against Indiana Irving’s played in one rock fight demanding constant attention to detail on the defensive side, and a contest where the team needed his scoring desperately after being down twelve-points heading into the final period. Each game the Celtics came out victorious. In Game 2 Irving dawned his Superman cape and rescued the Celtics after a disastrous third quarter cost Boston their slim 2-point lead. Draining everything in sight. When Myles Turner patrolled the paint like the British when they embargoed the United States in the early 19th century, blocking entry from every white jersey, Irving turned to his long range game nailing three after three after three to wrestle his boys back into it.
It’s quite the feat considering that Marcus Morris, on some nights Boston’s second best scorer, was zero of eight and thankfully Brad Stevens shifted away from him late to play Gordon Hayward in crunch time.
Irving is without his running mate, but isn’t saddled with a bunch of bums. They just sometimes find themselves unable to put the ball in the cap for long stretches. However, Irving is so far doing just fine in his first stint in the playoffs without LeBron. Proving he is well worth his billing.
Good Time Basketball 