Nets’ coach has a lot of good things to say about Kyrie Irving; Celtic fans don’t
Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson gave a slight smile when asked before taking on the Celtics here Wednesday night if he expected a harsh reaction from the TD Garden citizenry. Kyrie Irving wasn’t here, but maybe that wouldn’t stop the flow of venom.
“You know,” he said, “if I wear a bad tie, there’s reaction from the crowd here. It’s Boston, so I totally expect me and guys on the bench… it’s just part of it. And it also makes what’s special about being here. They’re passionate, and much like New York, there can be some ribbing in there, and you know, that’s part of it. But I take it in good faith. Yeah, we’re expecting it.”
As for whether he was reconsidering his choice of neckwear, Atkinson said, “Maybe I won’t wear a tie tonight”
He did (solid black).
And the Nets got to hear a lot of the abuse that was intended for Irving, who’s been out with a right shoulder impingement and didn’t make the trip to the gym where a year ago October he told a crowd of season ticketholders he’d be re-signing with the Celtics.
That latter statement and the way the Irving-led Celts slithered out of the playoffs last spring was the basis for the animus.
There were “Where is Kyrie?” and “Kyrie sucks” chants and homemade anti-Irving signage throughout the building.
As for whether Kyrie might be good to go when the home-and-home moves to friendlier (for him) confines Friday afternoon in Brooklyn, Atkinson said, “We’ll see. You know, we’ll update. Not going to give a timetable.”
Thus far, Atkinson is more than pleased with The Kyrie Irving Experience.
“Exciting,” the coach said. “I really have enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed our relationship. I think we have great conversations.
“In terms of his work ethic, it’s 10 out of 10, how competitive he is. Not only games. We all know he’s a competitive guy. But when he practices, he doesn’t take plays off, competes his tail off. And quite honestly, as great a player as … he’s better than I thought.
“You don’t really know until you coach someone how good they are, and he is, as you guys know that have been around him, an extremely talented and extremely competitive player that fits our style of play, too. That’s another (point).
“But I’ve been absolutely thrilled coaching him. Can’t wait ’til he’s back in the lineup, but I think we’ll obviously take another step up.”
Atkinson did acknowledge in a response to a question that players like Irving are different than some other stars.
“When I was in Houston, I was around Tracy McGrady, so it’s very similar, in terms of super IQ, you know, incredible, incredible talent,” he said. “So I’ve been around that. I saw that, and I saw how coach (Rick) Adelman kind of handled him and collaborated with him, quite honestly, and talked to him. I was around Carmelo (Anthony) obviously with the Knicks, so saw how that works. I think that helps. It’s a little different being in the head coach’s seat, but sitting back and observing how that all works, I think it’s helping me already how to approach coaching a great talent like Kyrie.”
Atkinson even likes Irving’s game when he doesn’t have the ball.
“I’ve been very pleased with Kyrie’s defense,” he said. “He’s a heck of a competitor. He avoids screens as good as … you know, he’s an acrobat really in terms of getting over pick and rolls. Obviously he understands the game at a high level, so his IQ’s good. And then you compete like he does, you’ve got a good defender. Always when we played Boston, I was like, ‘Man, Kyrie gets after it.’ He’s a better defender than we all give him credit for.”
Irving’s previous coach had good things to say, as well.
“Incredible player,” said Brad Stevens. “You know, we won a ton of games here when he was here.
“We didn’t get to where we ultimately wanted to go last year, and I think that that, again, leaves a sour taste in everybody’s mouth that was a part of that team and that was on our team. And I’ve said it many times, if you’re the one that has to put it all together and the team’s not as good, that’s on me. But I think he’s an incredible player.”
Stevens had to deal with Irving coming back from surgery at the start of last season, and Atkinson will have to work him back in shortly. He said he’ll play Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie, who’s been starting in Kyrie’s absence, together.
“Yeah, especially end of game,” Atkinson said. “Play your best players. So I think this will make us stronger. I keep on thinking, you know, Kyrie’s going to be back and what does that look like? And I say, ‘It can only make you stronger.’ And that’s not, ‘Hey, you’re being positive, coach.’ I think that’s just a reality.”
Celtic people who bore witness to 2018-19 might raise an eyebrow at that, but the new tale is yet to be told.
The Friday night audiobook was being recited by the people in the Garden seats, and the subject was many miles away.
Atkinson said he didn’t really know why certain players like Irving seem to draw an inordinate amount of attention, relative to, say, a Tim Duncan.
“I think it’s how dynamic he is and how he’s an incredibly dynamic player,” he said, trying to sound out the solution. “I see everybody — LeBron, all the greats, like, you guys, fans pay him more attention and the press does. I think it’s just part of the business.”
And Kyrie Irving certainly got the business last night, even if it was in absentia.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/33maSNm
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