Kyrie Irving thus far hasn’t disappointed in his first NBA playoff run with the Boston Celtics.
Irving was the Celtics’ best player over the span of their four-game, first-round sweep of the Indiana Pacers. The star point guard averaged 22.5 points and 7.8 assists per game, both of which were team-highs.
Irving then kept it going in Game 1 of Boston’s second-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, logging 26 points and 11 assists — both game-highs — in the Celtics’ drubbing of the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded team.
While Irving has been undeniably great in the postseason, Nick Wright doesn’t believe he’s among the top five players in these playoffs thus far. The “First Things First” co-host laid out his power rankings during Tuesday’s show on FOX Sports 1, with Irving coming in at No. 6.
.@getnickwright's top players this postseason:
1. Kevin Durant
2. Damian Lillard
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
5. James Harden
6. Kyrie Irving
7. Nikola Jokić pic.twitter.com/nyvzVHXVps— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 30, 2019
It’s clear the listing is no knock on Irving, rather highlighting the sensational play of his fellow superstars. There’s a good chance Irving will climb the ladder as the playoffs progress, though, as the six-time All-Star tends to elevate his game as the stakes get higher. One of those players Irving could usurp is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was a shell of himself in the series opener against the Celtics.
Irving will look to add another gem to his postseason catalog Tuesday night when the C’s and Bucks meet for Game 2 at Fiserv Forum.
