Kyrie Irving Waiting For Playoffs, Not Worried About Celtics' Slump

Boston Celtics are on a downward spiral since the All-Star break with Brad Stevens’ team losing four games on the trot against the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors and, most recently on Wednesday, the Portland Trailblazers. It is a far cry from the start of the season when they were labeled the favorites to progress from the east.

The Boston franchise has one of the most talented rosters in the NBA at the moment and with the addition of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, they were expected to dominate the East and progress to the NBA Finals. But their performances have been anything but dominant as they have struggled to consistently perform at a high level.

Stevens’ team are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference and with the form they are in, they are losing touch with the top three. They are in no danger of missing out on the playoffs, but no one will be surprised if they exit the knockout rounds.

The Celtics’ poor form has not only raised questions about the flaws in the team or the lack of camaraderie but also about the future of Irving, who will enter free agency in the summer. He verbally committed his future to the franchise in October, but has since backtracked on his words and many are expecting him to look for pastures new in the summer.

Irving, however, was in a defiant mood despite the Celtics’ four-game losing streak. He is certain they can compete with any team in the East when it comes to a seven-game series and he gave reference of the Cleveland Cavaliers when in 2017 they suffered a slump in the regular season before reaching the NBA Finals.

“We lose a bunch of games in a row and we end up sweeping the whole Eastern Conference,” Irving said after their loss to the Trailblazers Wednesday. “I don’t think anybody in the Eastern Conference can really compete with us at a high level when we’re playing the way we’re supposed to be playing.”

The six-time All-Star is aware of what it takes to make the latter stages of the season and believes the team is capable of beating anyone over seven games. Irving made it clear he is waiting for regular season to end and the playoffs to begin, but is aware that they are likely to be looking at a third, fourth or fifth seed from the East with the Bucks and Raptors locking out the top two spots.

“I can’t wait for all this other BS about the regular season, ‘keep getting better,’ talking over and over again about what we can do to keep getting better playing in the regular season, I just want to be at the highest level playing,” he added. “That’s what I’m here for.”

"You can’t worry about the standings now, it’s too late in the season. Obviously, the four-five spot, but one-two is pretty much locked up, one-two-three. So just play.”

Irving also praised his teammates for their achievements last season when they made it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference before losing to LeBron James-led Cavaliers. He believes the experience will stand them in good stead this year but warned that they will need more of an effort to reach that stage this season.