POLL: Kyrie and the All-Star Game? Should he play?

[tenn_smoothie]

Irving:  25 minutes, 13 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 blocked shot - nice game.

Yeah, he just went out and jogged up and down the court a few times and shot a couple of three's.
Just made an appearance for the fans.

[Phantom255x]

Was nice seeing Kyrie out there and he seemed to have a good time

But from here on out, we'll need Kyrie to be out there helping this team, starting on Thursday night. Even against bad teams, he needs to be playing (even if limited minutes in a blowout win or against a bad team). We have a real tough stretch ahead and we can't afford to be resting Kyrie every 2-3 games now.

[RJ87]

Starting to think we don’t deserve Irving. He’s literally done thing wrong except failing to control a media narrative. Boston fans should be smarter.

It's been a while since I've seen such hate for a player that has done nothing but contribute to us since he got there - something proven both statistically and with the eye test. First he gets hated for his attitude, then he gets hated because he's not a leader, then he gets hated because he dribbles too much before scoring, then he gets hated because he refuses to constantly reaffirm that he's going to stay here (even though the haters don't want him here anyway, they get offended that he doesn't want to go out and say it), then he gets hated for choosing to play in a game he was declared fit for. He wasn't fit for the 2 games he missed, he's fit for this one. Let him play - he was voted in, he deserves to play. If Boston wants to wrap its stars in cotton wool then they can withdraw them from consideration for ASGs, Team USA games, everything that doesn't contribute to a Boston championship (good luck convincing the NBA to do that).

There's 29 other teams that would love to have Kyrie on their roster but I guess we're a bit too spoiled here, we don't need him we're too good for him.

of course Celtics are, or would you rather subscribe to the alternative that he is too good for the Celtics.

I don't think we're too good for anyone to play for us as long as that player is contributing to us winning.

Do you think he is too good for Boston.ugh

No, but if fans keep acting as they do towards him then I'd understand if he thought that way. He gets a ridiculous amount of unfair treatment.

It's like some fans here don't even want him to succeed so that they can say "I told you so" while the Celtics dwindle away in mediocrity.

100% agree.

[ozgod]

Irving:  25 minutes, 13 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 blocked shot - nice game.

Yeah, he just went out and jogged up and down the court a few times and shot a couple of three's.
Just made an appearance for the fans.

He wasn't injured though as far as I know. It would be really churlish to begrudge someone the opportunity to actually put a bit of effort into something especially when they were voted in for it and passed fit. They probably would have given him the AD treatment if there was any risk.

Now if he missed our game against the Bucks, or the one after that due to a recurrence, then you would have more grounds to call him a selfish pr!ck and I would be with you. But being mad because someone tried to put a bit of effort into doing something is really confusing

[Kuberski33]

the Celtics also need to not p--- him off because it might turn him off to staying here. 

Nothing towards you at all Kuberski - but this is the exact type of perspective that i hate.
Not saying the Celtics shouldn't treat their players respectfully, on the contrary, but if a player doesn't love being a Celtic, I don't want them.

I'm not saying that I agree with this.  To the contrary I can't stand it. But it is the mindset that many teams (including apparently this one) have at the present time when players have a little too much control.

Many (though not all) put their own enormous ego's first and foremost forgetting about the people who help pay their salaries - the fans who spend an awful lot of money to buy tickets. 

The Celtics mindset is 'don't tick him off, he may leave'. 30 years ago Irving would be getting roasted on the talk shows and by certain columnists (Will McDonough would have trashed him) for playing in the all star game over his team. It's selfish behavior.  But it also seems to be the mindset of too many of the league's stars right now.