Bob Cousy believes the Celtics let go of one Kyrie Irving and are since shorn of a true playmaker, for almost 3 straight seasons now.
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Boston Celtics were destined to build a dynasty with the signing of Kyrie Irving and the drafting of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Kyrie Irving was a crucial part of Danny Ainge’s vision to create a dynasty.
However, Kyrie Irving left the Celtics in 2019 due to some personal reasons. The Celtics signed 4x NBA All-Star Kemba Walker to fill the void in 2019. The Celtics decided to move on from Kemba after they didn’t make the finals in 2 seasons.
They signed the German point guard Dennis Schröder this season to add depth to the playmakers on the roster. However, Marcus Smart holds the starting PG spot. Both the PGs average less than 5 assists per game for their careers.
This is an indication of the team lacking playmakers. The team as a whole average 22.1 assists per game which ranks them 21st in the league.
Bob Cousy doesn’t hold back while addressing the issues behind the Celtics’ woes this season.
Bob Cousy played for the Celtics in the 1950s. He earned an All-Star spot for each of his 13 years in the NBA. He shares his experience playing the PG position and the importance of having a good playmaker in a championship team.
“I hate to bring it back to a point guard but, you don’t have that control. When we got a lead of 6-8 points, that was when I would take it home. I just would not allow us to lose the lead.”
When asked about the Celtics’ issues Bob Cousy points out the lack of playmakers to be the key reason.
“They had one in Kyrie, but he was a head case. They potentially had one in Kemba, although Kemba was a shooting guard more than a point guard. You need a penetrating point guard at that point who is a threat and then he passes off to the Tatums and the Browns.”
The Boston Celtics do not look like a championship contender halfway into the season. However, injuries across the league and a young core still leave room for hope for the fans.
