BOSTON (WEEI.com) -- The Boston Celtics have hit another rut, losing their last four games and prompting more debate and questions about their season.
One of the bigger talking points all season, especially of late, has been Kyrie Irving's leadership. Irving has been asked about his plans in free agency after the season, and has made several comments that have raised questions about whether he's happy in Boston and whether he and his teammates are on the same page.
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was seen having a 1-on-1 conversation with Irving after Tuesday night's blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors. Ainge downplayed the conversation when asked about it Thursday on "Dale & Keefe."
"Kyrie is his own man, he's gonna say what he wants, or not say what he doesn't want," Ainge said. "I don't ever doubt him with what to or what not to say, but our talk was strictly about basketball."
Ainge said the leadership responsibility doesn't just fall on one player and that a team's best player doesn't necessarily have to be its leader.
"I think your best player is a leader, but most teams have many more than one leader," Ainge said. "As a matter of fact, I think most players are leaders. They're either leading somebody astray or they're leading you down a path of good."
Ainge continued by refuting former Celtics forward Antoine Walker's recent comments that Irving isn't a leader.
"Kyrie has a lot of amazing leadership characteristics," Ainge said. "I don't really know the perfect leader, but I think that that's why I say it takes more than one. ... I think that Kyrie has an impact on the games, that's leadership. Impacting games the way that he does, taking games over, being mentally tough to make shots in the face of adversity is a form of leadership. Being able to influence people with his work ethic and his passion for the game."
Ainge also delivered a vote of confidence in coach Brad Stevens, who has come under criticism for not being able to get the Celtics to play well consistently.
"No," Ainge said when asked if Stevens was one of the concerns with this team. "And that's not to say that Brad can't do some things better, because I don't see what the things are that he needs to do better, but he does, and he feels like he needs to do better and you know we all have a role to play in this. ... He's the least, by far, of all the things I'm worried about as we prepare for the postseason."
Ultimately, Ainge acknowledged that this year's team has not been what he expected, but said he's still "hopeful that it can be."
By Mike Cratty
