Boston Celtics star point guard Kyrie Irving only scored three points Saturday night against the Detroit Pistons. To make matters even stranger, Irving took just five shots in 23 minutes of action, prompting some to wonder if the five-time All-Star was potentially dealing with an injury.

That's not the case, though. Kyrie Irving told reporters after the Celtics' win that he doesn't want to get into the old habits he used to exhibit with the Cleveland Cavaliers, via Jay King of The Athletic:

The Celtics won the game, handing the Detroit Pistons their first loss of the season. Winning is the only thing that matters to Kyrie Irving right now. The scoring guard says he's scored enough points in his NBA career and is learning that for the team to win as a collective unit, he might have to take fewer shots for that to occur on some nights.

Article Continues Below
More Boston Celtics News
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots the ball as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defends in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.
Shaquille O’Neal throws shade at Celtics’ Jayson Tatum’s HOF credentialsZachary Howell ·
Jaylen Brown photoshopped in Spurs jersey
Spurs’ trade proposal for Jaylen Brown if Celtics blow it upBailey Bassett ·
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (middle left) and forward Tari Eason (middle right) hold towels on their faces during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center.
NBA rumors: Rockets ‘anticipating’ Celtics trade talksDavid Yapkowitz ·
image thumbnail
Celtics rumors: Will Boston target rising center prospect in NBA Draft?Owen Crisafulli ·
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and center Al Horford (42) and guard Jrue Holiday (4) react in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
NBA rumors: Insider suggests Knicks could steal Celtics veteranMalik Brown ·
image thumbnail
Celtics legend Paul Pierce gets last laugh with Knicks callout after ECF lossOwen Crisafulli ·

It's a sign of maturity for Irving, who entered Saturday averaging 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the field, 21.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 69.2 percent from the free-throw line. All across the board, those are not numbers we are used to seeing from Kyrie Irving, one of the most talented and explosive players we have in the game today.

The Celtics, however, have so much depth on their roster that Irving can afford to have a game like this and the team can still come out victorious. Irving didn't have that luxury earlier in his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers before LeBron James and Kevin Love came to Cleveland in 2014.

Is Kyrie Irving going to average only 16 points per game this season? No. Once he gets into a rhythm, he'll be back to his old self. But it's good to see him recognizing that always being the leading scorer on the team isn't a priority anymore.