NBA legend thinks Celtics have ‘exposed’ Kyrie Irving

Mar 5, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (2) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

A Boston Celtics icon thinks the team has successfully “exposed” Kyrie Irving in the NBA Finals.

In an interview with Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, Celtics legend Bob Cousy argued that the team had “exposed” Irving as a non-superstar by how well they contained him. According to Cousy, Irving needs to be outstanding in the playoffs to be worthy of superstar status, and the Celtics have stopped him from doing it.

“The Celtics have exposed Kyrie Irving as not quite a superstar,” Cousy said. “He has been severely subdued. They’re not even trapping him a lot. They’re doing it one-on-one. Kyrie’s working his a– off and they’re still stopping most of his stuff.

“He’s no longer in the superstar category. You’ve got to function in the playoffs to determine where you are in the hierarchy.”

Cousy’s comments came after the Celtics had held Irving to just 28 total points in the first two games of the series in Boston. Irving was significantly better in Game 3 with a 35-point effort, though the Mavericks still lost.

The 95-year-old Cousy is, of course, eager to see the Celtics win another title, and has made it clear that he is still very invested in the team. It is safe to say that, like most Celtics fans, he is quite eager to see Irving fail in this series considering Irving’s history with the organization.

Luka Doncic has received the sharpest criticism in the series, but Irving has not performed to his capability, especially in the first two games. Cousy’s criticism might be a bit harsh, but he has a point about how high the standards are.