Although it is still early in the 2017-18 NBA season, Boston Celtics superstar point guard Kyrie Irving has already become the league's premier clutch player. His exceptional play in the fourth quarter is largely the reason for the Celtics phenomenal NBA-best 17-3 record.
However, it is not as if Irving is a stranger to helping his team close out games. According to ESPN's Chris Forsberg, the four-time All-Star has become accustomed to producing such late-game heroics:
“Pretty simple: It's winning time, man,” Irving said. “Been doing it for a few years in the league in the fourth quarter. Just doing whatever is needed to get the win.”
The Celtics have had the rare luxury of relying on clutch performers in recent years. Prior to Irving's arrival, former All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas thrived in the fourth quarter as well during the 2016-17 NBA season. That said, it has been a seamless transition for the Celtics and head coach Brad Stevens.
One could argue that Irving has been even better than Thomas this year, as he leads in the league in clutch scoring with 5.4 points on 61.5 percent shooting from the field. Even more impressive is that he still has yet to commit a turnover all season during crunch time.
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