BOSTON — Nagtawanan sina Kyrie Irving at Gordon Hayward na nakikita lamang sa dalawang batang naglalaro nang ipakilala bilang mga bagong mukha ng Celtics.
“It’s about to be crazy, G,” sabi ni Irving sa tenga ni Hayward kasabay ng pagpitik ng mga camera lenses noong Setyembre dalawang araw matapos ang blockbuster trade sa Cleveland Cavaliers.
Matapos ang pitong buwan ay parehong may injury sina Irving at Hayward at hindi na maglalaro sa season.
Bubuksan ng Celtics ang playoffs bilang No. 2 seed sa Eastern Conference at naniniwala silang mananalo kahit wala sina Irving at Hayward.
“Finals. I’m very confident,” ani guard Terry Rozier sa tsansa ng Boston. “Everybody has to be on the same page. And we just gotta play. And play hard.”
“We can’t dwell on the past,” wika ni center Al Horford. “Obviously it makes it more difficult. Kyrie, he’s the leader of this team. We won with him and now we have to find ways to do it without him.”
Inaasahang makakalaro sa second round sina rookie Daniel Theis (left knee) at Marcus Smart (right thumb surgery).