The Boston Celtics are starting to look like the team everyone expected them to be.
After looking largely unimpressive through the first 20 games of the season, the Celtics have ripped off three straight wins while playing a respectable brand of basketball.
Given the depth of Boston’s roster, it was understood that it was going to take some time for the unit to get completely in sync. While no one expected the Celtics’ struggles to prolong as much as they did, Kyrie Irving can see the group coming into form.
“I think just guys being in their specific roles,” Irving said Wednesday, as captured by MassLive. “Brad (Stevens) being more definitive in what he wants and us responding the right way and not necessarily doing it selfishly. Coach says something, he wants something done, he thinks this is best for the team — instead of responding selfishly and thinking about yourself, you think about what’s best for the team. I think over the last few games we’ve just been having a lot more fun doing so, and playing the right way. Playing at a high level, it should be fun. It should be fun getting up and down, getting stops, cheering for your teammates. Basketball should be fun. I think initially when we first started, everyone was in their own heads and emotionally you can be all over the place. You bring that emotion to your teammates and it’s just not a good recipe.”
Jayson Tatum offered a similar outlook Tuesday, noting the Celtics might have gotten too caught up in the hype entering the season. But now that the C’s have been battle tested and are shaping their identity, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the green start to string together victories.
