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

[Green-18]

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.

Kyrie is a far more polarizing figure than Hayward.  All of us would have liked Hayward to play better against Milwaukee, especially after his resurgence during the last month of the regular season.  That said, there were a ton of chemistry issues that tore the team apart.

Gordon should certainly receive his fair share of criticism.  However, let's not forget that he was mentally broken for a good chunk of the season.  I'm sure the subtle resentment in the locker room was wearing him down.  He needed touches and freedom in order find his confidence.  At the same time, those touches were making his teammates second guess the priorities of the coaching staff.  No wonder the guy needed to see a sports psychologist.  It was a [dang]ed if you do, [dang]ed if you don't type of situation. 

Ultimately, this is where a lack of leadership comes into play.  Most reports indicate that the locker room was quiet and full of awkward tension.  It's frustrating because the solution seems pretty straightforward from the outside looking in.  Hayward accepted the bench role like he should have.  As soon as that happened, his teammates should have collectively made an effort to help him find his confidence.  Instead, it appears that Gordon was on an island by himself, while the rest of the team was having separate conflicts with each other.

And this is exactly what I'm referring to.

" All of us would have liked Hayward to play better against Milwaukee, especially after his resurgence during the last month of the regular season.  That said, there were a ton of chemistry issues that tore the team apart."

Okay and? I'm sorry, but that is applicable to every member of the team. Gordon isn't the one affected by chemistry issues. He's not a victim. Especially considering the favoritism of him by the coaching staff reportedly contributed to the issues. Especially when his wife is on social media after he takes 5 shots in a game claiming he's unappreciated and the team won't let him be great. Imagine if Kyrie's fiancee did the same thing? This whole board would be in ashes.

""However, let's not forget that he was mentally broken for a good chunk of the season."

Again, woe is me. If he's that mentally fragile from game to game, we're in for a world of trouble. Are we not expecting our max players to have a little mental fortitude? Or just certain ones?

lol, This isn't a black and white issue.  We can be disappointed with Haywards' performance and reserve final judgement at the same time.  Is it surprising that a toxic situation made it difficult for Hayward to come back from a horrific injury?  Would you have preferred him to tell his teammates to **** off?  Perhaps this would have escalated the locker room issues more quickly, resulting in Ainge needing to pull the plug on this group prior to the trade deadline.  Although I'm being sarcastic, I suppose you could make a case that Hayward should have been more stubborn.  However, something tells me we would all be blaming Hayward if he acted like a clown.

In no way am I suggesting that mental fortitude isn't important.  I'm just willing to reserve judgement on Hayward until I see how he plays next season.  Many players on the team under performed for a variety of reasons. 

[BringToughnessBack]

Well Done Boston Globe...lets make any free agent who wants to come even think more about how crappy the media can treat you here..Bravo....If there was even a 1 percent chance Kyrie would change his mind, I am sure this piece of journalism would help convince him to stay.

Our team flat out got outplayed and out coached. Stop making excuses...we lost to a better team.

Maybe Kemba can be sent this article from the Globe. I am sure when choosing which team to go to, this can help him decide.

[Fafnir]

Eh Boston media always kicks the guys out the door. The Red Sox in particular stick out to me as repeat offenders.

They still get FAs a plenty though.

[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.

Kyrie is a far more polarizing figure than Hayward.  All of us would have liked Hayward to play better against Milwaukee, especially after his resurgence during the last month of the regular season.  That said, there were a ton of chemistry issues that tore the team apart.

Gordon should certainly receive his fair share of criticism.  However, let's not forget that he was mentally broken for a good chunk of the season.  I'm sure the subtle resentment in the locker room was wearing him down.  He needed touches and freedom in order find his confidence.  At the same time, those touches were making his teammates second guess the priorities of the coaching staff.  No wonder the guy needed to see a sports psychologist.  It was a [dang]ed if you do, [dang]ed if you don't type of situation. 

Ultimately, this is where a lack of leadership comes into play.  Most reports indicate that the locker room was quiet and full of awkward tension.  It's frustrating because the solution seems pretty straightforward from the outside looking in.  Hayward accepted the bench role like he should have.  As soon as that happened, his teammates should have collectively made an effort to help him find his confidence.  Instead, it appears that Gordon was on an island by himself, while the rest of the team was having separate conflicts with each other.

And this is exactly what I'm referring to.

" All of us would have liked Hayward to play better against Milwaukee, especially after his resurgence during the last month of the regular season.  That said, there were a ton of chemistry issues that tore the team apart."

Okay and? I'm sorry, but that is applicable to every member of the team. Gordon isn't the one affected by chemistry issues. He's not a victim. Especially considering the favoritism of him by the coaching staff reportedly contributed to the issues. Especially when his wife is on social media after he takes 5 shots in a game claiming he's unappreciated and the team won't let him be great. Imagine if Kyrie's fiancee did the same thing? This whole board would be in ashes.

""However, let's not forget that he was mentally broken for a good chunk of the season."

Again, woe is me. If he's that mentally fragile from game to game, we're in for a world of trouble. Are we not expecting our max players to have a little mental fortitude? Or just certain ones?

lol, This isn't a black and white issue.  We can be disappointed with Haywards' performance and reserve final judgement at the same time.  Is it surprising that a toxic situation made it difficult for Hayward to come back from a horrific injury?  Would you have preferred him to tell his teammates to **** off?  Perhaps this would have escalated the locker room issues more quickly, resulting in Ainge needing to pull the plug on this group prior to the trade deadline.  Although I'm being sarcastic, I suppose you could make a case that Hayward should have been more stubborn.  However, something tells me we would all be blaming Hayward if he acted like a clown.

In no way am I suggesting that mental fortitude isn't important.  I'm just willing to reserve judgement on Hayward until I see how he plays next season.  Many players on the team under performed for a variety of reasons.

I expect him to try. That is not unreasonable. I'm not expecting him to drop 25/8/8 every night. I am expecting him to not panic and bobble the ball when a defense collapses on him when he drives to the paint - like he did against Milwaukee. I expect him to not openly sulk when he's on the court - like he did against Milwaukee. And when he disappears - as he did against Milwaukee - I expect him to get the same level of criticism that everyone else gets.

And Ainge absolutely should've pulled the plug on the roster at the deadline. But he was holding his assets for an AD trade that never came.

[BringToughnessBack]

Eh Boston media always kicks the guys out the door. The Red Sox in particular stick out to me as repeat offenders.

They still get FAs a plenty though.

True. Certain personalities can flourish as well and I guess we need those people in green.

The Boston Globe might be one of the only online news sites that charges its users to read online articles as well. Hard to take that seriously in this day and age. Don't they know that they could make a lot more with paid click ads and sponsorships then charging users. Who in this day and age would ever pay to read an article online? Come join us in the 21st Century Boston Globe and remove that subscription. Someone should get them a Marketing executive who actually understands the online world!

[NKY fan]

Don’t see the point of the article ... especially if it’s directed by sources close to Ainge... just let it go

[arctic 3.0]

Eh Boston media always kicks the guys out the door. The Red Sox in particular stick out to me as repeat offenders.

They still get FAs a plenty though.

True. Certain personalities can flourish as well and I guess we need those people in green.

The Boston Globe might be one of the only online news sites that charges its users to read online articles as well. Hard to take that seriously in this day and age. Don't they know that they could make a lot more with paid click ads and sponsorships then charging users. Who in this day and age would ever pay to read an article online? Come join us in the 21st Century Boston Globe and remove that subscription. Someone should get them a Marketing executive who actually understands the online world!

Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe. Quality reporting requires quality journalists, quality journalists require paychecks.
Any aggregator can run a lean ship and make money with online ads, but they can’t pay journalists and editors to produce reliable work.

for a look into the future of information and society I recommend  Neil Stephenson’s new book “The Fall”

[GreenFaith1819]

Kyrie Irving is NOT a perfect person / player. He certainly has his fair share of quirks / moodiness.

Money - and a good movie - evidently can't buy happiness.

If he moves on - which certainly appears to be the case - I am certain he will blow up where ever he lands.

This will be his THIRD team...a fresh start. He will be wiser - more mature...not wanting to make the same mistakes HERE..

Wherever he goes to will NOT have their number 1A player basically out of action for two years.

His next GM will be able to better put pieces together around him. His next coach will be able to make those pieces MESH....

His next team won't have talented youth that struggle to fit their roles and refuse to smell themselves after a DEEP playoff run.

His next team will most certainly be a better fit.

This is TOO SAD - Kyrie "Little Mountain" Irving is one of the most talented Celtics we've had in recent years...and he got better with us, defensively.

I wish him well - and if he is EVEN THINKING about staying, well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0JvF9vpqx8

Just go. The bridges have been burned...some of the fan base here will certainly stalk you IF you stay, lol - will blame YOU for every little thing that goes wrong with BOS next season.

Just go and I wish him well.

[MaxAMillion]

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.

I agree completely...you have this guy still tweeting about Kyrie in the playoffs and that happened more than a month ago. No comments about Hayward’s no show.

Just look at how little reaction Jackie MacMullan’s statement about Hayward’s playing time received. She stated it was the beginning of the problems with the C’s and yet it was mostly ignored when compared to the continued demonization of Kyrie Irving. You would think Irving committed a violent crime the way some people act.

Regardless the one thing the Celtics, Boston media, and the fans can not control is how other players view the double standard between Irving and Hayward. Irving is pretty well liked by some of the best players in the game. I bet some of those players have a different viewpoint.

[nickagneta]

If anyone thinks that this info, the info regarding his relationships on the team, the info regarding the team being "ghosted", the info that #11 was available to the rookies and other such stuff isn't coming out from the team as damage control over Kyrie's leaving, they would be fooling themselves.

I am not saying the information isn't true, it most likely is, but since Ainge now feels Kyrie is gone, he is letting the fandom and season ticket buyers know, not through him but by "leaks", what a real pain in the ass and major cancer Kyrie was behind the scenes. He is definitely trying to soften the blow of Kyrie's leaving by letting everyone know what a problem Kyrie is/was.

[SHAQATTACK]

could be fame and fortune may have came to early and easy for Kyrie .
Maybe he can find happiness in NY or LA.

[LilRip]

Kyrie was definitely part of the problem last year but he was far from the only problem. All this talk about his leadership but where’s the blame for CBS? All this talk about leadership but isn’t a leader only as good as his followers? And there seemed to be some real tension in that locker room with guys willing to play the wrong way to prove their point.

Kyrie wasn’t a great leader, but the rest of the team (except for Horford and Smart) stunk too. People are just looking for a scapegoat. If things were flipped around and say Kyrie was already signed to a 5-year deal and let’s say, it was Tatum or Brown or Rozier leaving, we’d be hearing about how they were malcontents too. How they couldn’t get with the program. If CBS was leaving, we’d be talking nonstop how he’s fool’s gold and can’t coach when it matters.

But they’re not. Now, Rozier is getting some share of backlash on his way out but the other parts of the roster are here to stay (Jays and Hayward). I’m honestly curious what Mook has to say but he doesn’t generate clicks or drive traffic so I guess the media figures what’s the point of covering him?

[Chef Parish]

I heard Kyrie pretended to be an old man so he could get into Boston's movie theaters at half price.

[mmmmm]

I wish people would just shut the hell up about how they feel about him with their opinions until the guy actually makes a decision.  Because if he does come back to Boston won’t the fans look like a bunch of idiots and won’t that look good to potential free agents that are considering coming to a city that as Ainge says...players are dying to play for.

Not saying he doesn’t have issues but brad, the young kids, etc all need to grow up too.  They were all part of the problem last year.

Nah.   Whether Kyrie goes or stays won't change one single fact of how things went down this last year and especially in that Bucks playoff series.  So it won't change what most fans think of him.

To advocate that they feel any different than they actually feel is to advocate that everyone just put on an act and pretend.   That's silly.

[cltc5]

Kyrie was definitely part of the problem last year but he was far from the only problem. All this talk about his leadership but where’s the blame for CBS? All this talk about leadership but isn’t a leader only as good as his followers? And there seemed to be some real tension in that locker room with guys willing to play the wrong way to prove their point.

Kyrie wasn’t a great leader, but the rest of the team (except for Horford and Smart) stunk too. People are just looking for a scapegoat. If things were flipped around and say Kyrie was already signed to a 5-year deal and let’s say, it was Tatum or Brown or Rozier leaving, we’d be hearing about how they were malcontents too. How they couldn’t get with the program. If CBS was leaving, we’d be talking nonstop how he’s fool’s gold and can’t coach when it matters.

But they’re not. Now, Rozier is getting some share of backlash on his way out but the other parts of the roster are here to stay (Jays and Hayward). I’m honestly curious what Mook has to say but he doesn’t generate clicks or drive traffic so I guess the media figures what’s the point of covering him?

Which is what annoys me about social media.  Too many opinionated people that have way too much time on their hands