The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are about to play for the second consecutive season in the Eastern Conference Finals. There are some big differences between this year's series and last year when the Cavs won in five games. The most significant difference is that neither team has their starting point guards from last season, with the Cavs trading Kyrie Irving to Boston for Isaiah Thomas before the season started.
However, neither Thomas nor Irving will play in the series as the Cavs traded Thomas to the Los Angeles Lakers and Irving underwent season-ending knee surgery for the Celtics. However, Irving is still on the Boston roster and Tyronn Lue still doesn't like to see Kyrie on a different team.
Cavs speak out about Kyrie Irving
While Kyrie Irving won't be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals for the Boston Celtics, he is still a member of their team and that does not sit well with Tyronn Lue -- the Cleveland Cavaliers head coach. When a reporter asked if the Eastern Conference Finals would be different if Kyrie were playing, Lue was confused at first with the question.
Immediately, he thought the reporter meant that Kyrie Irving would be playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the other way around, with the reporter wondering if Lue thought Boston would still be an underdog if Irving was out there with the Boston Celtics. Tyronn then answered that it is still "tough to see him over there" and said that Kyrie was a huge part of what the Cavs accomplished in the past three seasons.
Tyronn Lue said that the connection with Kyrie Irving helping the Cleveland Cavaliers bring home a championship two years ago will "never be lost." Lue even compared it to the Los Angeles Lakers when superstars would move on but the relationship with men like Rick Fox, Ron Harper and Brian Shaw remains strong all these years later after winning a title.
Kyrie Irving and the Celtics
While that is true, the fact remains that the Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to win another NBA Championship and they have to get past the Boston Celtics to do it -- without Kyrie Irving. While Kyrie and the Cavs will always share the memories, this year there is no way Kyrie is doing anything but cheering for his Celtics to win.
Tyronn Lue admitted that it is different now but returned to his comments about Kyrie Irving being a big part of the Cleveland Cavaliers success. Lue finished by admitting that it is still "weird" seeing him on the other side of the court.