Shortly before the start of the training camp, Kyrie Irving spoke positively to ESPN about his current performance. He expects the Boston Celtics to make a big hit next season.
“I move completely differently,” Irving told ESPN reporter Jackie MacMullan. “I have become stronger and have increased my awareness of what my body needs every day.”
The Celtics point guard missed 22 regular season games and the entire playoffs in 2017/18 due to persistent knee problems. After two further operations in the offseason he is now as healthy and as strong as he has not been for three years, says the 26-year-old.
Irving stated that he will start the training camp without any restrictions, during the summer he had successfully tested his knee several times – among other things in pick-up games with his team mates.
“Our games are incredible, really on a new level,” Irving said enthusiastically. “You can’t believe what we’re showing on the court. We can’t wait to start the season.”
His expectations for 2018/19 are correspondingly high. It would be a disappointment if the Celtics did not reach the Eastern Conference Finals 2019. And he continues: “Can we beat Golden State in a series of seven games? Yes!”
But why is he so confident? “Because of the people we have here and what we are building here – not just for the next season, but hopefully for the next few years. This is gonna be special.”
Many fans interpret these words as Irving’s plan to stay in Boston for the long term. He could step out of his contract in the summer of 2019 and become a free agent.
Irving played an average of 24.4 points and 5.1 assists in 60 games in 2017/18. In addition to the Point Guard, the Celtics can also rely on Gordon Hayward, who missed the entire past season due to injury. Nevertheless, Boston failed in the Conference Finals in seven games against the Cleveland Cavaliers.