Irving’s ‘deserved’ heave costs $25K
PHOENIX — Kyrie Irving was fined $25,000 yesterday for heaving the ball into the stands following Monday night’s loss in Denver, and he has no problem with the penalty.
CELTICS NOTES
“Well deserved,” the Celtics guard said after yesterday’s practice. “There’s a sense of professionalism that you have to uphold within this league, and I failed to do so, so I take full responsibility for it obviously. In the event that anyone gets hurt, I’m taking full responsibility for it.”
This, however, doesn’t let Denver’s Jamal Murray off the hook in Irving’s eyes. The Nuggets guard scored a career-high 48 points, and with one second left in a game already had in hand, he hoisted one final 3-point attempt. Irving would not let Murray keep the ball.
“From a competition and competitive standpoint, I think it absolutely deserved to go in the stands,” he said. “You just don’t play basketball like that. It’s as simple as that. You just don’t. There’s a tradition and a respect within the league as well as in any basketball game. Obviously you’ve won the game, you have it sealed, you’ve had a great game, game of your life, and you do something like that, it’s petty, it’s immature, and we’ll see him again though.”
Murray clearly wanted to reach 50 points a little too much. In the process, he violated one of the few unwritten rules in the NBA.
“I mean, when everyone knows the intent of it, I think it just makes it clear of what’s going on,” Irving said. “Clearly, 50 points is a big deal, but get it within regulation. Take it as a man, get your free throws and get to 50 points, but you don’t wait till the end of the game when everybody’s not playing to just launch up a shot and then nonchalantly (shrug) as if it doesn’t even matter.”
Murray later expressed regret, saying he was carried away by emotions. Irving still doesn’t want to hear it.
“He knew,” Irving said. “It’s not like I hold any resentment toward it, but hopefully going forward after this, he doesn’t do anything like that. ... I felt disrespected after the game. So your career-high ball goes in the stands.”
Peyton visits
Among other things in his NBA life, Brad Stevens has come to know stars from other sports, like Tom Brady. But the Celtics coach, because of his Indianapolis background, knew Peyton Manning first.
So when the Celtics gathered in their hotel for film study the morning of the Nuggets game, Stevens invited in the former Colts and Broncos quarterback — still a Denver resident.
“He was nice enough to come over and watch some film,” Stevens said. “He was probably on us last night for a couple of our miscues, but it was great to have him around. We did some back and forth questions-wise, but we didn’t want to put him on the spot.
“It’s special to get the opportunity to know Peyton when I lived in Indy and now Brady in New England. It’s about as good as it gets.”
Williams learns
Robert Williams once again received meaningful minutes in the Nuggets game, and in the process learned more about focus and knowing his competition.
Stevens sent the rookie center in to foul Mason Plumlee – a 56 percent career free throw shooter.
But a problem arose when Williams instead attempted to wrap up Paul Millsap, a career 73.4 percent free throw shooter. Stevens could be seen at that moment shouting from the sideline, “not that one.”
Said Williams: “That was actually a miscommunication. I thought I heard, ‘Foul him,’ but it was, ‘Solid.’ It was just so loud in the arena. But that’s something I have to clean up on.” ...
Jaylen Brown (foot soreness) was held out of yesterday’s practice, with the intention of getting him ready for tomorrow night’s game against the Suns.