Being down 3-1 in any series is not a desirable scenario to be in, but it's a feeling that Celtics All-Star Kyrie Irving is familiar with.
In 2016, Irving and the Cavs found themselves trailing the Golden State Warriors by the same tally. However, that matchup was for all of the marbles, as they say.
Be it by skill or fate, Irving and the Cavs managed to come back from the depths of 3-1 hole in the 2016 NBA Finals to win the team's first championship.
Now, as a result of Monday night's 113-101 loss, Irving and the Celtics are in a similar boat, as they're trailing the Milwaukee Bucks 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
“It’s hard to bring back that emotion to it because I think that the difference in level is just the experience,” Irving told The Athletic. “That’s been the biggest thing for us this season as well as in this playoffs, postseason.”
Irving led the charge for Boston in Game 4, notching 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. However, the former Duke Blue Devil posted a 7-of-22 shooting performance overall and 1-of-7 from downtown:
“Who cares? I'm a basketball player,” said Irving, who can become a free agent this summer. “I'm trying to do it all. For me, the 22 shots — I should have shot 30.”
If the Celtics are going to have a shot at coming back in their series against Milwaukee, Irving will need to change his tune a bit. Simply saying “who cares” is not a good look.
Perhaps Irving should take the approach of his teammate, Al Horford, who still seems confident in Boston's chances of making a comeback:
“I know probably to the outside world we probably don't stand much of a chance,” Horford told ESPN after Game 4. “We're at a low point as a group, I guess that's the reality. We'll have to bring that fight to them on Wednesday.”
The Celtics and Bucks will meet for Game 5 on Wednesday night. Tip-off inside the Fiserv Forum is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, with TNT having live broadcast coverage.
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