Kyrie Irving is confident the Celtics will flip a switch come playoff time, and Stephen A. Smith isn’t doubting the All-Star point guard despite Boston’s inconsistent season.
Irving downplayed any concern after Saturday night’s loss to the Bulls — one of the worst teams in the NBA — by reinforcing his belief that Boston will reach the NBA Finals.
“In the playoffs, when we’re playing one team, preparing for one team, I still don’t see anybody beating us in seven games,” Irving told reporters in Chicago.
This obviously is a bold stance with Boston sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 37-23 record, 8 1/2 games behind the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. But it speaks to Irving’s alpha mentality — he also said the C’s will be fine “because I’m here” — and Smith explained Monday on ESPN’s “First Take” why there also could be some truth to the 26-year-old’s words.
Smith said last week he wasn’t “jumping ship” on the Celtics’ NBA Finals hopes even though they’ve failed to meet expectations so far this season. The C’s remain stacked with talent, and it therefore could just be a matter of time before they find a different gear.
It’s far from a certainty, though, especially with the Bucks and Toronto Raptors dominating, the Indiana Pacers surprising everyone in the wake of Victor Oladipo’s injury and the Philadelphia 76ers boasting one of the most talented starting fives in The Association.
