Celtics superstar Kyrie Irving wanted the pressure and now he’s got it. How he handles it will be on display again on Wednesday night as the Celtics take on the Bucks down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal. Irving famously requested his way out of Cleveland after winning a title, wanting to be out from under LeBron James’s all-consuming shadow. Celtics GM Danny Ainge gladly took on Irving. But after a mediocre second season and a uninspired NBA playoffs so far, Irving looks like he may not have yet arrived as the elite leader he hopes to be.
Irving shot just 7-of-22 from the field in a dismal Boston 113-101 home loss. The performance prompted both Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal to conclude Irving wasn’t rising to the challenge. Barkley said that “Kyrie said I wanna be my own man, and now you your own man, going on vacation Thursday morning.” Irving shot 1-of7 from 3-point territory.
Shaq & Chuck go off on Kyrie Irving’s Game 4 performance. 👀#NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ultbSNxI6M
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 7, 2019