Boston Globe: Kyrie quit on the Celtics in games 4 and 5

[SHAQATTACK]

Here is where he threw in the towel as a leader   he didn't want his own team and to carry the weight.   Your leader never gives in, rallyes the troops , makes a push for a comeback. 

PP and KG did not have that lay down and die mentality.   As good a Kyrie is skill wise ,  he has come from the Bron school of just give up , don'r strain youself trying to win games that your getting your butt kicked.  Regular season game is bad enough , but to wave the white flag in playoffs is bad mojo .

Bringing somebody back with that attitude , is not wise move as it influences the others too much.   There was alot of discourse on the team besides Kyrie .  I see Rozier as the ring leader myself.

[GreenFaith1819]

In a "Perfect World" Kyrie wouldn't have "thrown the pass that lead to GH being hurt".....

When I saw "THAT" comment from a poster on here recently I was through.

Kyrie Irving had a MIA GH in 2017-18 and a recovering GH ALL of last season and had a coach that seemingly struggled to get all the pieces working together.

CBS has admitted to this already.

Additionally - as Marcus Smart has already alluded to - it is foolish to place blame on just Kyrie.

2017-18 was supposed to be OUR YEAR......Now? It's resorted to blame-placing, disparaging remarks and articles that I am certain is making the team look bad.

[gouki88]

I think he internally gave up. “Going through the motions “ is a good way to describe it.

He’s not the only one who played like their spirit was broken, though.

Yeah, I only really think JB and Mook were the ones giving their all at the end.

[GreenShooter]

I think he did quit but not until game 5. He was just chucking the ball up. Never seen him play so bad that it DID look like he didn't give a crap and just said eff it. If people disagree then go watch the game again. It was painful.

[CF033]

Well yea. Anyone with eyeballs could see he didn't gaf in those games. His body language and half hearted shot chucking was a middle finger to Boston on his way out the door.

[satch]

and he didn't care. I have only seen two Celtics in all my years that just didn't care....Mark Blount. 

[GreenFaith1819]

Just a bad...disappointing season...probably the worst I've ever experienced since 1981 when I became a fan.

So much expectation...so much hope - especially for GH.

Then the constant rumors...losing streaks....now it's culminating in needless (and mis-directed) articles placing blame on just one player.

Kyrie Irving could very well go to BKN (or NY or LAL) and fall flat on his face. The "I told you so" crowd on here would LOVE that...puffing out their collective chests in self-righteousness.

OR - he could BLOW up...take that team to the next level.....how would that make BOSTON look, then?

[GreenShooter]

Well yea. Anyone with eyeballs could see he didn't gaf in those games. His body language and half hearted shot chucking was a middle finger to Boston on his way out the door.

That's the way I took it.

[RJ87]

I don't think he quit, but it's clear he gave up on trying to believe in his teammates. He knew they weren't going to show up so he tried to do everything himself which played directly into the Bucks' gameplan.

Its still amazing to me that people will come for Kyrie, but Gordon can pout and take 5 shots in a critical playoff game and no one says a word. Yeah, i know "but his ankle...." that doesn't effect body language and effort.

[ChillyWilly]

Just a bad...disappointing season...probably the worst I've ever experienced since 1981 when I became a fan.

So much expectation...so much hope - especially for GH.

Then the constant rumors...losing streaks....now it's culminating in needless (and mis-directed) articles placing blame on just one player.

Kyrie Irving could very well go to BKN (or NY or LAL) and fall flat on his face. The "I told you so" crowd on here would LOVE that...puffing out their collective chests in self-righteousness.

OR - he could BLOW up...take that team to the next level.....how would that make BOSTON look, then?

You work with any super talented people who upper management cuddles and ignores issues because of their production?

No likes working with them because it's always about them they never try to lift you up but keep you down so attention is always on them?

All of us have and it's easy to see Kyrie is one of those people. It's easy for us to fill in the blanks because this is an archtype.

He's probably even more fustrating to be around because his emotions and thoughts change constantly. The easiest people to work with are those who are emotionally consistent.

Talent only trumps this issue when you're producing winning results.

[Fafnir]

The weird defensive freelancing was what bothered me most of all. Kyrie's always had a lot of freedom to do his own weird freelance stuff offensively.

But yeah the whole team looked like game 3 broke them spiritually/mentally. Kyrie was the leader of last year's team for better or worse.....

[gouki88]

I don't think he quit, but it's clear he gave up on trying to believe in his teammates. He knew they weren't going to show up so he tried to do everything himself which played directly into the Bucks' gameplan.

Its still amazing to me that people will come for Kyrie, but Gordon can pout and take 5 shots in a critical playoff game and no one says a word. Yeah, i know "but his ankle...." that doesn't effect body language and effort.

Who have you actually witnessed that wasn't critical of Gordon? You post a lot about how nobody criticises him, which is something I find to be simply false

[jambr380]

Yeah, I agree with others in the thread. 'Quit' is a strong word; maybe if 'disinterested' was in place of it, the poll results would be more of a blow out.

I can't say I've ever really seen anything like it - the amount of terrible shots he was taking from the outside. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious Kyrie already knew he was leaving.  I tried to rationalize it at the time that everybody just wanted the season to end so they could start fresh next year. But it was pretty obvious Kyrie was the main culprit. Leaders aren't supposed to do that kind of thing.

[Fafnir]

I can't say I've ever really seen anything like it - the amount of terrible shots he was taking from the outside. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious Kyrie already knew he was leaving.  I tried to rationalize it at the time that everybody just wanted the season to end so they could start fresh next year. But it was pretty obvious Kyrie was the main culprit. Leaders aren't supposed to do that kind of thing.

It reminded me how LBJ looked "off" in 2010.

Obviously LBJ played a lot better than Kyrie did in his respective elimination game, but it was similar in that something was clearly wrong. "Disinterested" or "Quit" works well enough as short hand for that.

[RJ87]

I don't think he quit, but it's clear he gave up on trying to believe in his teammates. He knew they weren't going to show up so he tried to do everything himself which played directly into the Bucks' gameplan.

Its still amazing to me that people will come for Kyrie, but Gordon can pout and take 5 shots in a critical playoff game and no one says a word. Yeah, i know "but his ankle...." that doesn't effect body language and effort.

Who have you actually witnessed that wasn't critical of Gordon? You post a lot about how nobody criticises him, which is something I find to be simply false

I don't see nearly at the level that Kyrie gets it - who btw also had a second unplanned procedure on his knee that affected his offseason. The bending over backwards to make excuses for Gordon is also quite ridiculous at this point. Yes Gordon got hurt. Yes it sucked. But if he's out there he should be held to the same standard. It's pretty obvious he's been handled with kid gloves by management, the coaching staff, fans and media.

I've always said that if Kyrie had suffered an injury at the level of severity and put up the season Gordon did, the vitriol would be next level.