Boston Celtics superstar Kyrie Irving is set to sit out one or two of his team's 11 remaining games in the regular season as he gears up for an extremely grueling postseason.
Irving himself announced that he intends to take a night or two off for rest purposes, and claimed that the only thing that matters for him now is that the Celtics clinch their spot in the playoffs:
Irving plans to miss a game or 2 for rest, and made it clear where seeding ranks in importance. "As long as we get in there. I don’t think our focus is in seeding, that’s pretty clear. As long as we get there, I’m happy."
— Mark Murphy (@Murf56) March 20, 2019
The Celtics are currently at 43-28 and just half a game behind the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers. Overtaking the Pacers for the fourth spot would give the C's home-court advantage in the first round, which is not something that should be taken lightly.
Moreover, Boston is just three games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the third spot, so realistically, a top-three finish for the Celtics is still well within reach. Irving and company are faced with a tremendous opportunity to close the gap between themselves and the Sixers on Wednesday. Irving will suit up for this crucial matchup, and he will likely opt to pick a different game for his scheduled night off.
Irving has been amazing for the Celtics all season long, and while his scoring has taken a slight dip (23.7 points per game versus 24.4 last season), the 26-year-old is currently averaging career-best numbers in his efficiency from the field (49.4 percent shooting), rebounds (5.1), assists (7.1), steals (1.6), and blocks (0.5). It is without question that Irving has elevated his game in his second year in Boston, even amid all the drama.
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