Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics has commented on his knee injury, which made him miss the entire playoffs. He also explained why he had to leave games at half-time. Kevin Durant and LeBron James were also an issue.
“I had to leave a few games at half-time because I had to keep an eight-hour rhythm for taking my antibiotics,” Irving said in a podcast with Bill Simmons from The Ringer. Irving suffered from a knee infection, so he missed several games during the Regular Season and later had to undergo surgery. This surgery was the end of the season.
After the operation, Irving had a central venous access in her arm for two months, “which is why I couldn’t do anything – not walk, not lift weights, nothing. If I hadn’t had access, I would definitely have tried to be fit for the conference finals. But it was impossible.”
Simmons also discussed with Irving the current brand hot personality Kawhi Leonard. According to Irving, there has been a development among players that you can know and assess your own value better. “We players know exactly how good we are. We know how to deal with our management and how to get into the best position to win a championship.”
The decision of LeBron James in his Free Agency 2010, when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers and joined the Miami Heat, had been decisive for this development. “It was incredible what an impact this had on the power of the players. We players still benefit from this today. We can look at ourselves and say:’Hey, I have the feeling that it doesn’t work that way with us anymore. Therefore, it would be best if we part ways.'”
Irving also talked about the 2018 NBA Finals and finals MVP Kevin Durant, who continues to take criticism for joining the Warriors two years ago. This must finally come to an end: “Get it off at last. He may have moved on to an incredible team, but he’s become the best player there.” You should respect that and on top of it, as a basketball fan, enjoy seeing someone like Durant play.
About the experience of being NBA Champion and maintaining the level, Uncle Drew explained about Durant: “I compare it to standing on Mount Everest. In summer, in the off-season, you start the ascent, which lasts the whole season. And when you’re on top, you tend to be complacent. People love you, you’re the finals MVP and champion.” Then you start to wonder what comes next – until you realize that “you have to do everything again now. The first game starts, 82 more to follow.” That is the biggest challenge.