Links & Quotes: Kyrie Irving thinks the media is boring

Kyrie Irving apparently isn’t overly excited about his media responsibilities. via NBC Boston

“Talking to you guys is boring,” said Irving. “It’s really boring, honestly.”

He quickly clarified that he meant no disrespect, sounding a bit like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights when he punctuates biting criticism by adding, “with all due respect.”

But here’s the thing. The feeling is not mutual. Irving is much-watch TV during his postgame news conferences the same way he’s must-watch TV during games.

He did, however, seem to be having a lot of fun on the court. via the Herald

Five times in the first five minutes he shot from the outside. Five times he scored, the last three of them 3-pointers. Then, just to break up the monotony, he drove and scored. Less than a minute after that, Irving was fouled on a drive and made the two free throws. Seventeen points in 9:19.

“The first couple of minutes, it sure seemed like he was aggressive coming down the floor in transition and coming off screens looking for his shot,” said Stevens. “And I think that we need him to be that. We need him to do that.”

It wasn’t just Irving. It was nice to see Mook and Al Horford out there again too. via NBC Boston:

“It means a lot,” Smart told NBC Sports Boston. “You got Al who has been in the league longer than anybody on the team. You got Mook who has seen everything you could possibly see in this league. And just to have those two, those veteran guys on the court with us in those roles, the camaraderie … it’s something that we needed.”

SBNation points out that at least one stat paints a better picture of the Celtics than their overall record:

The Celtics aren’t bad. In fact, their adjusted net rating, which estimates point differential per 100 possessions fixed for strength of schedule, suggests they’re the NBA’s fourth-best team. But at 18-13, their record matches the star-less Clippers, the Blazers, and trails the Pacers.