“Good having you back king” - James Harden comments on Kyrie Irving’s return for the Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving played his first game for the Brooklyn Nets this season against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving posted 22 points while dishing out four assists and grabbing three rebounds, Irving was also active on the defensive end, posting three steals as he registered 32 minutes of game time.
This was his first game for the Nets this season due to his reluctance to take the Covid-19 vaccine. The franchise made the decision to bring Irving back into the fold in their bid to secure an NBA championship this season.
James Harden, who registered 18 points, five rebounds and six assists in the game against Indiana, took to his Twitter page to relay how exciting it is to have Kyrie Irving back, simply stating:
"Good having you back king.”
good having you back king @KyrieIrving https://t.co/2AnzC249wY
The majority of the basketball community has been in support of Irving's return. Demonstrating just how ecstatic they are at having the Nets' Big-3 back together on display for the first time this season.
Kevin Durant recorded the most points, rebounds and assists, as he posted 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Durant also expressed his joy at having the seven-time All-Star back on the court.
More from Kevin Durant on what it means for Kyrie Irving to come back:
"This is our livelihoods, this is something we dream about every day. To go through this situation and get an opportunity to play right now, I know there's a lot of emotions going through his head." https://t.co/xAZxXEaaXO
Kyrie Irving's return snaps the Brooklyn Nets' losing streak
Prior to the game against the Indiana Pacers, the Brooklyn Nets had lost their last three games - Philadelphia 76ers, LA Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Although he was unable to drain any shots from beyond the arc, Irving sunk all his attempts from the charity stripe. While converting nine of 17 attempts from the field, recording a 52.9% accuracy. Irving's return seemed to be the extra spark Brooklyn needed as they broke their losing streak, beating Indiana 121-129.
The Pacers took a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter, posting 37 points. They extended their lead in the second quarter by a further eight points, closing out the first half with a 13-point lead. The Nets reduced the deficit in the third quarter and then went on to see the game out in the fourth, defeating the Pacers by an eight-point margin.
The Nets now hold a 24-133 record and will look to build on this win moving forward.
Kyrie was ballin' in his first game back:
22 PTS
4 AST
9-17 FG https://t.co/Yb1dlLm6PJ
Despite being limited to only playing away encounters and games he is deemed eligible for. It proved to be an amazing first game for the 2012 Rookie of the Year, reassuring Nets fans of potentially a great year to come.
The Nets title run looks promising with Irving back in the lineup. According to Second Spectrum, the Big-3 have only featured in 15 games together and gone on to win 12, losing only 3. Nets fans will hope the trio can continue racking up wins together on the court as Brooklyn looks to win an NBA title this season.