Kyrie Irving Responds To Shooting Woes After Game 4 Loss: 'Who Cares'

Kyrie Irving was not too concerned about his shooting woes after Boston Celtics lost Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals 113-101 to now trail Mailwaukee Bucks 3-1 in the seven-game series. The point guard managed 23 points on the night but went 7-of-22 from the field and 1-of-7 from the three-point line.

The Celtics looked in imperious form after they recorded an impressive win in Game 1 of the series, but have since suffered three straight losses with the entire team struggling offensively. Irving was expected to lead the way in terms of scoring but has struggled down the stretch going 19-of-62 from the field in his last three games.

“Who cares?” Irving said when asked about his shooting troubles Monday after the loss to the Bucks. “I’m a basketball player. I prepare the right way. Like I said, it’s a little different when you’re rhythm is challenged every play down. You’re being picked up full court. They’re doing things to test you. The expectations on me are going to be sky high.”

Irving was also not bothered by his shooting struggles during Game 4 when he managed to score just seven of his 22 shots. He admitted he should have at least attempted 30 shots during the game as he wants to “stay aggressive”.

“For me, the 22 shots, I should have shot 30,” the Celtics point guard added. “I’m that great of a shooter, so I think that just the consistency of just going at it, staying aggressive, is always going to put us in a great position.”

Meanwhile, for the Bucks it was Giannis Antetokounmpo again, who was unstoppable as he recorded 39 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists to become the first Bucks player to do so in the playoffs since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1974. If the Celtics do not find a way to stop the “Greek Freak” it is likely that the series will be over after Game 5 on Wednesday night at Fiserv Arena.

Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, however, is looking forward to the challenge and hopes his team rises to the occasions as they have no options now, it is either “win or go home”. He admits that it is a difficult position to be in, but wants the Celtics to give themselves a chance of leveling the series when they return home for Game 6 on Friday night.

“It’s win or go home,” Stevens said. “You do the same thing you’ve been doing all along, you play the next possession to win it. That’s it. You focus on that. It takes a lot of mental fortitude. It takes a lot of mental toughness. It reveals a lot.

“I’m looking forward to that challenge. We don’t want to be in this position, but we are. We’ve got to go to Milwaukee and do everything we can to give ourselves a chance to play here on Friday night,” he added.