The Atlantic

Kyrie Irving, the NBA’s Singular Star

While players around the league team up to chase the Warriors, the Celtics’ new point guard looks for a heavier burden.
Source: Chris Szagola / AP

As the 2017-18 NBA season gets underway, collaboration is en vogue. The reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors, open the year again as heavy favorites due in large part to a ; their success has set not only the league’s competitive terms but also its stylistic ones. This offseason saw a frantic redistribution of All-Stars—Paul George and Carmelo Anthony joined Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City; Chris Paul teamed up with James Harden in Houston—with the purpose of following the Golden State formula. Players everywhere spoke to the appeal of working together. “[Westbrook’s] going to create so much stuff for me and Carmelo,” after his new trio’s debut in the preseason, referring to the luxury

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