Few outsiders can boast as much knowledge regarding the Cleveland Cavaliers’ day-to-day tendencies as injured Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving.
Sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs after undergoing surgery on his knee in early April, Irving serves as a valuable asset for the remainder of healthy Celtics as they prepare for battle with Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday.
“Big time,’’ said current point guard Terry Rozier on Irving’s diminished, yet integral role. “He’s around. I think he’s going on this trip. He’s always going to be there for me to talk to whether it’s something that I can get better at, something I [can’t] see, [or] becoming more of a leader. I know he’s there so I’m going to use that to my advantage.’’
If his first two playoff series as a starter are any indication, Rozier seems to be heeding Irving’s advice with ease, his numbers ballooning at a pace commensurate with his newly christened fame. Through 12 contests against Milwaukee and Philadelphia, the Louisville product is averaging 18.2 points and 5.8 assists per game, up from 11.3 points and 2.9 assists during the regular season.
While Rozier’s jump in traditional box score statistics can be explained by more than 11 additonal minutes of court time per game, his efficiency has swelled as well. The 24-year old is assisting on 25.5 percent of Boston’s buckets while on the floor, up from 17.5. Rozier’s true shooting percentage, which accounts for free throws, twos and threes, has risen from 52 to 58 percent.
“When Kyrie went down, clearly there’s going to be increased usage for all of our better players,’’ said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.
Boston and Cleveland met last year at the same playoff juncture, the Cavaliers winning in five to secure a rematch with Golden State in the NBA Finals. That series pitted Irving against Isaiah Thomas before the latter was sidelined with a hip injury suffered in Game 2.
Boston yearns for the days when point guard depth wasn’t an issue. With current backup Shane Larkin (shoulder sprain) sure to miss the first pair of home games, Rozier’s stamina will be tested against the Cavaliers’ lengthy, pestering veteran, George Hill. Marcus Smart will likely get time at point guard in an attempt to spell Rozier for brief stretches, and the concept of “Point Horford’’ may be utilized with increased regularity.
Irving has prepped Rozier as best he can, but Rozier understands that it’s almost impossible to devise an effective game plan against the Cavaliers when all of their role players are cooking.
“Besides LeBron [James] just playing out of his mind, Kevin Love’s always a huge help, J.R. Smith [too] when he hits his shots,’’ said Rozier. “Kyle Korver — got to treat him like J.J. Redick and not let him get good looks. Obviously, we want to try to slow down LeBron as much as we can, but we can’t let the other guys be special. When other guys are playing special the Cavs are one of the toughest teams to beat in the NBA.’’
Irving’s ball-handling wizardry and shot creation will be sorely missed come Sunday. In last year’s conference finals, Irving toasted Boston guards to the tune of 25.8 points per game on 62 percent shooting and 50 percent from deep. The performance was enough to compel Celtics general manager Danny Ainge to engineer a trade predicated on swapping Thomas for Irving.
While Irving continued to soar as a Celtic, leading Boston to a league-best 16-2 start and earning an All Star nod in the process, Thomas floundered, traded from the Cavaliers to the Lakers as he continued to labor in his recovery from hip surgery.
Though Irving won’t be in uniform to help Boston attempt to reach its first NBA Finals since 2010, the trade has largely been considered an unabashed success for Ainge and Co.
Irving is hardly the quiet type, always willing to share thoughts, advice, and a laugh. His impact now greatly minimized without a ball in his hands, Irving’s helplessness is exacerbated by the stunning play of James, whose rampaging of Eastern foes has garnered the focus of seemingly everyone in the NBA.
For Irving to help his new team conquer his former one, he’ll have to embrace the vocal elements of his personality, a practice he’s grown accustomed to while immobilized over the past few months.
“I spent a lot of time with [Kyrie] yesterday,’’ said Stevens. “I’m sure he’ll talk to our players individually. We’ve all played against Cleveland a bunch, in the postseason over the last four years and then certainly in the regular season.
“Because they’re on TV all the time, we’re watching them every night just like everybody else is. I think there’s a lot that everybody knows that makes LeBron so great, but [we’ll] certainly pick Kyrie’s brain, not only on [LeBron] but the other guys around him.’’
Owen Pence can be reached at owen.pence@globe.com.
