« Reply #324 on: January 18, 2019, 10:53:02 PM »
No sure about anyone else but I’m sure glad we haven’t traded Kyrie yet
Lol. Glad this thread got revived
Fabulous game again and yet Boston was actually better again without him on the floor, just as they were in the Toronto game i.e. +4 in 36 minutes is worse than +2 in 12 minutes, just as +4 in 38 minutes is worse than +5 in 10 minutes. This is where it is always tricky in these things and were many of the same arguments being made when IT4 was torching people, especially in the 4th quarter, yet the team often performed better in the only place it really matters when IT4 was on the bench.
Yeah if you actually think we're winning tonight and against Toronto with Kyrie on the bench, then frankly I don't know what to tell you. Without Kyrie I honestly think we get blown out in both games the way they unfolded (yes, even tonight w/o Kyrie).
Who knows? Do you think Tatum is missing every FG attempt and only scoring 2 points if Irving doesn't play? Maybe Tatum gets into a better flow and has a great game without Irving dominating the ball and the Celtics do just fine. And again, it isn't just having Irving not play, it is about getting assets for him while allowing everyone else to play more in flow without him improving the team both that way and with those assets. The team also avoids paying Irving 38 million year when he misses 1 in every 5 regular season games and significant (or all) games in 2 of 4 post-seasons, which will likely only get worse as he adds wear and tear, age, etc. to that brittle body of his.
Lakers won 4 of their last 6 without Lebron. Maybe Kuzma/Ingram gets into a better flow without him. Besides he is in his mid-30s and will probably be injury prone. They should just get rid of him.
Maybe Eric Gordon and James Ennis would get into a better flow without Harden, and the Rockets would do just fine.
Same with Tony Snell if the Bucks got rid of Giannis.
The Lakers are 5-7 without Lebron though (and OKC is the only win against a team above .500 and they flew in from Atlanta). They haven't been an ~60% win team over 50 games like Boston has without Irving. Lebron is also a significantly better player than Irving and while he has missed a few weeks, has generally been healthy and has never missed a post season game. The comparisons are just silly given the entire context.
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