Kyrie Irving: Relationship with Celtics HC Brad Stevens ‘Has Grown Tremendously

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

After losing four straight games earlier in March, the Boston Celtics have shown some life in recent games, winning four of their last five, including two straight wins over the Miami Heat. 

And despite a season that has been tumultuous at times, point guard Kyrie Irving told reporters on Wednesday after the second of those wins that his relationship with head coach Brad Stevens has continued to evolve in positive ways (h/t Nick Friar of Celtics Wire):

“Our relationship has just grown tremendously. Just in terms of our communications of what he likes and what I like, but ultimately what’s best for our team and how you get the most out of guys. So it’s made my job a lot easier, going to the sideline knowing that, ya know, we’re on the same page. And it makes it easier to go out there and play free and really do my job of leading this team.”

Irving, 27, is averaging 23.9 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game, serving as the offensive focal point for the Celtics. But there have been questions about Irving’s leadership and defense this year, and whether the Celtics—who reached the Eastern Conference Finals without him last season—may actually be a better overall team without him. 

Of course, Stevens and general manager Danny Ainge aren’t buying that theory.

“We need Kyrie to be the best version of ourselves,” Stevens said in February, per Adam London of NESN.com. “We all need to consistently play better as a group. We’ve done that at times, and we’ve rode Kyrie in a lot of cases and he’s carried us in a lot of games. We need everybody at their fullest and there’s no question about it that he’s going to be a guy that is going to make a ton of plays for us moving forward.”

And Ainge called the notion of the Celtics being better without Irving “insane” later that month, per Mike Cole of NESN.com.

“First of all, guys like playing with Kyrie,” he added. “Second of all, they believe and trust in him. And third is you still have to play hard, you still have to do your job, and that’s on them.”

For the Celtics, finding the right chemistry and getting on the same page has been a yearlong struggle in a season that hasn’t lived up to expectations thus far. But the Celtics can put that tumult behind them with a long run in the Eastern Conference postseason.

And if nothing else, Irving and Stevens appear to be heading into the playoffs on the same page.