The Unexplainable Quality that Makes Kyrie Great … Explained

[KGs Knee]

IT didn’t make those around him better? Nonsense. Crowder was a top-15 SF playing next to IT. IT carried our team into the playoffs without Horford, and into the Conference Finals without another all-star.

Al Horford?  Please tell me you credit him with some of that?

We were a playoff team without Horford. He helped get us farther in the playoffs, but he wasn’t a truly reliable second scorer.

There are lots of star players who put up empty stats without elevating their teams or teammates. That doesn’t apply to IT.

IT definitely did not put up empty stats.

But Horford has made the playoffs every year of career, been to more conference finals, and been apart of more teams with the best regular season record in the conference. And FWIW, pretty much every advanced metric showed Horford to have a greater overall impact in last season's playoff run.

I'm not sure Thomas "carried" the Celtics to the conference finals anymore than Horford did.

[Ogaju]

deleted wrong thread post

[seancally]

“Confidence” is a good word for it. I think “swagger” is maybe better. That’s what I see - guys playing with swagger, like they belong. Isaiah was thrilling because he played like he didn’t belong and needed to prove it. Kyrie is thrilling because you know what he’s going to do and then he does it - like Pierce, like Bird.

[moiso]

Irving is obviously an amazing scorer who can win games but I really don’t think he makes any of the other players better.  He’s one of worst passing point guards in the league.  I don’t believe Rozier or anyone else is a more confident or better player because of Irving.  Young guys just improve.  I would argue that Smart, with his infectious aggressiveness and his lobs  to Theis and Baynes actually makes those two players better.  I don’t think Irving does that at all for any player.

[Celtics4ever]

I don’t believe Rozier or anyone else is a more confident or better player because of Irving.  Young guys just improve.

I think a lot of those guys are showing moves on layups that they did not prior to Kyrie coming here. So I think you're wrong on this one, I think he has made Tatum, Smart and Rozier more creative on their drives.   Sometimes that is good and sometimes it is not.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

“Confidence” is a good word for it. I think “swagger” is maybe better. That’s what I see - guys playing with swagger, like they belong. Isaiah was thrilling because he played like he didn’t belong and needed to prove it. Kyrie is thrilling because you know what he’s going to do and then he does it - like Pierce, like Bird.

TP

[nickagneta]

I think the OP would have been better served discussing just Kyrie and what makes him great because IT was great too. Tough to compare the greatness that IT was last year with anyone else. IT was superb and quite heroic. Both are great but in slightly different ways. Both definitely have an effect on their team mates.

Best just to say they were and are great and we are all better off for having them play the way they have for our Boston Celtics.

[chiken Green]

I totally understand and 100% agree with the OP..

If you watch all the interviews (post game) of KI you will hear him speaking about the team, specifically team building. Speaking about giving guys confidence..Demanding excellence out of them. He Always puts the team and the GRowing as a team concept first..

His comment about Tatum hitting that last shot last night - the 3 after KI got the ball back..  "He better had hit that shot.. Rookie or not"  Like the dude Absolutely expects His guys to achieve greatness..  That to a young player is tremendous.. Especially from a player who has seen the promised land and came home with the Jewel.. 

Last years team lead by IT was hellbent on meeting the Cavs..and then At least winning a few games..  You can Tell that the Cavs did not Fear us not 1 bit.. No reason to.  Heck they mailed us the homecourt and then smoked us in our home..  They Expected to murder us and they did.

This years team plays like they are expecting to play for it all..  The Attitude is different..  KI is not hoping to give the Cavs a run, he is expecting It..

He has been to levels that IT has only dreamed about.. He is building his team to compete for rings..   His insight to what it takes to be great as a Team is invaluable..