Jackie MacMullan Explains ‘Different Vibe’ Among Celtics With Kyrie Irving Gone

The Boston Celtics aren’t wasting any time putting the disappointment of last season firmly in the rearview mirror.

The new-look Celtics currently own the NBA’s best record and have been an easy team to root for on a nightly basis. We’ve already seen a little bit of everything from Boston this season, including gritty comebacks, lights-out shooting performances and stout defensive efforts.

While each of the Celtics’ games has played out a bit differently, the team’s attitude has remained consistent. ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan believes this strong chemistry is due in part to Kemba Walker, who has a different leadership approach than Boston’s former point guard, Kyrie Irving.

“Kemba, when you miss a shot, you can hear him in the huddle when they mic him up,” MacMullan said Tuesday on “The Jump.” “‘Keep shooting, keep shooting,’ you know? When Gordon Hayward was taking a shot and missing, Kyrie (Irving) is going, ‘What are you doing?’ So it is a different vibe.”

Paul Pierce, who knows a thing or two about leading the C’s, also has taken notice of Walker’s impact.

“They got better leadership in there,” Pierce said. “Let’s just call it how it is. It’s better. Kemba, he’s known throughout the league as being a great leader. I mean, he played on losing teams, he stayed positive. He went out and played hard every night, and that can be infectious. That can be the difference between losing and winning and chemistry. That’s what he’s brought to the Celtics.”

Walker and Co. will look to notch their ninth consecutive win Wednesday night when they host the Washington Wizards at TD Garden.