The old Kyrie Irving was back Friday. Irving scored 21 points to help the Boston Celtics win on the road versus the Philadelphia 76ers, 110-102. The All-Star point guard had a great shooting night. He made 7-of-14 shot attempts, including 5-of-7 from three-point territory. Irving also tallied two rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Irving's performance against the 76ers was better than the one he had during his debut for Boston. The Celtics began their preseason last Monday when they faced the Charlotte Hornets. They won that game, 94-82, but Irving struggled offensively.
He shot 4-of-11 in that contest to finish with only nine points.
If Irving can continue playing like this, the Celtics could sweep their preseason and enter the regular season with momentum. Boston's 2017-18 season officially starts on October 17 when it takes on Irving's former squad, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gordon Hayward still a no-show
It seems Kyrie Irving regained his explosive offensive game following a slow start. Unfortunately, it is different for Gordon Hayward. During the 2016-17 season, Hayward averaged a career-best 21.9 points per game for the Utah Jazz. That offensive production was among the reasons why he became a coveted free agent in the offseason. However, this preseason, he is yet to put up the same numbers.
In two preseason outings so far, Hayward recorded just a total of 14 points. His offense is concerning for the Celtics, especially with him expected to be one of their top scorers in the upcoming season. Hayward still has two games to bounce back and redeem himself.
The sleeper
When it comes to the Celtics' acquisitions, the focus remains on All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
Many are forgetting that Aron Baynes headed to Boston as well. The 30-year-old Aussie is a one-time NBA champion and a quality center in the NBA. Baynes may not be as prominent as Irving and Hayward, but this preseason, he is displaying consistency for the Celtics.
Baynes contributed 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block as a starter in Boston's preseason opener.
In Friday's contest at the Wells Fargo Center, he came off the bench for the Celtics and registered 12 points, five rebounds, one steal, with one block. It looks like Baynes is going to be an important frontline and defensive player for the C's who lost a few defenders last summer. Stay tuned for more updates.
