Irving plays it cool in return to Cleveland

Al Horford has been where Kyrie Irving will be tomorrow night. Going back to play a former team in their city for the first time — especially where so much success was had — is not easy, as Horford learned in Atlanta last season.

Emotions are high and it can be hard to focus on the task at hand. So as the Celtics begin their season in Cleveland, where Irving spent his first six campaigns, made three NBA Finals and won a championship, the stakes are similar, and even probably bigger than what Horford experienced.

Horford said he probably will talk to Irving about the return, but there might not be a need. The point guard seems pretty focused.

“He’s really approaching this like I feel like any other game, and he’s really locked in and understands what we need to do as far as our group,” Horford said.

That’s easier said than done, especially with so many storylines circling this game. Irving’s first return to Cleveland and meeting with LeBron James since shockingly requesting a trade this summer will be the talk of the town as two Eastern Conference favorites clash in one of the most highly anticipated season openers in recent memory.

But Irving, at least on the surface, isn’t giving it the time of day.

“The excitement and the energy is there, but I think everything extra created by outside influence, that’s neither here nor there,” Irving said. “I don’t know what that reality is, I don’t necessarily concern myself with that because if I do, I would really be doing myself a disservice and my teammates a disservice of trying to figure out whether or not I want to be a distraction and give specific people energy in terms of what they’re saying or what they think about what’s going on . ...

“It’s going to happen regardless. That’s just the nature of the business, I understand that, but that reality, I leave that to other people.”

Irving added fuel to the fire last week when he seemed to take a parting shot at Cleveland as he talked about his new home. He called Boston “a real, live sports city,” suggesting that his former home was not up to par.

His first appearance back probably won’t generate a standing ovation, but he’s not bracing for any potential venom from the fans.

“No, it’s just hoops, man,” Irving said. “Just hoops.”

Morris delay

Coach Brad Stevens said after practice yesterday that Marcus Morris will be out at least a week with soreness in his right knee. Taking into account that Morris arrived late to preseason activities due to being on trial for felony assault charges, the C’s opted to keep their new big man sidelined for a bit to get him back into full health and shape.

“We feel like he needs more of a preseason, so he will be most likely out here for the coming week-plus, and then we’ll re-evaluate after that,” Stevens said. “But they’ve done all the testing. Structurally, the knee is in good shape, but I think it is a quick turnaround to get here last week and play in a regular-season game, so it’s going to be a little bit of time probably before he hits the court.

“It’s a long year, he’s a really important part of our team, and so if he’s at 80 percent or 85 percent now, let’s get him to 100 instead of risking that getting lower or something you’re dealing with all year.”

Hint, for starters

Stevens didn’t reveal who he’s starting in Cleveland, but he gave a clue.

“I don’t want to say because then I feel like I’d be stuck to it, but probably pretty similar to what we’ve been doing,” Stevens said.

That seems to indicate that Irving, Horford, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum will start. That group started in two of the last three preseason games.

The last rookie to start for the Celts in a season opener was Vitor Faverani in 2013. Before that, it was Adrian Griffin in 1999 . ...

Aron Baynes, who sat out the preseason finale with a knee injury, still seems to be on track to play tomorrow, Stevens said.