Has Kyrie Irving missing games benefited the Brooklyn Nets?
He is a key piece to the puzzle that is going to put his team in prime contention to win a title. And he’s not even the No. 1 option on his team but he’s just as lethal. Whenever he goes on a hot shooting streak, it’s going to be a long night for the opposing team.
Just ask the Orlando Magic as they became Kyrie Irving‘s latest victims of his recent scoring onslaught as he dropped 60 points on them. Just a week ago Irving torched the Charlotte Hornets for 50.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently in 8th place in the Eastern Conference but could make a valiant push to try and avoid the Play-In Tournament. If Irving continues to play like this then they just might. What’s impressive is Irving’s ability to dominate on the road as he hasn’t played in home games this season. I can only imagine the way the Barclay Center fans would be behind him as he destroys his competition inside the confines of his home arena.
The 60 points Irving scored also happened to be a Nets record as well as the Brooklyn faithful hope that Irving can continue putting up these kinds of numbers in the postseason. Whenever he is locked in Irving is literally unguardable as he normally shows off his handles as one of the best finishers in the league.
With Irving and Kevin Durant both in sync, the Nets have two clutch players on the floor with a killer instinct. I believe that it’s safe to say that Irving has cemented himself as a top-3 point guard in the NBA as he has always been one of the biggest talents and most underrated players. People just don’t understand how great he is due to him playing most of his career in the shadow of LeBron James and now Durant.
You just can’t guard a player with the kind of handle like Irving has. All you can really hope for is him to have an off night and miss most of his shots. Heading into the playoffs, will Kyrie’s part-time status during the regular season be a blessing in disguise for the Nets?
This scenario actually can work in the Nets’ favor because Irving isn’t a young player in need of experience or playing time. He is a bonafide superstar with a championship pedigree and knows how to play and thrive under pressure.
Durant is a handful by himself, and if the Nets happen to go up 2-0 in a 7-game series going to play Games 3 and 4 on the road, it works to their advantage as they are a better team with Irving on the floor without a doubt.
With the dangerous offensive repertoire he has, you never know what Irving will pull out of his bag of tricks. His range from downtown is phenomenal, his midrange is on another level, his elite ball-handling and ability to finish with either hand and finishing at the rim with the difficulty he does is stupendous, to say the least.
Expect Irving to continue his scoring tear throughout the league as the Nets hope to coast into the NBA postseason.