Justin Termine speculates on Kyrie Irving's ability to lead in the absence of Kevin Durant: "Can he keep the good vibes going?"
The Brooklyn Nets will rely on Kyrie Irving to lead the team in Kevin Durant's absence as it was recently announced that the 2013-2014 NBA MVP will be sidelined for at least two weeks with an MCL sprain in his right knee. NBA analyst Justin Termine questioned whether Irving can keep the Nets afloat with his co-star sidelined.
Breaking: Kevin Durant has been diagnosed with an isolated MCL sprain of the right knee and he'll be re-evaluated in two weeks, the Nets announced.
There's optimism Durant will miss less time than he did with a six-week absence last season, according to @wojespn. https://t.co/7eLYBOKluG
Speaking on his SiriusXM NBA Radio show, NBA Today, Termine stated:
"If [Kyrie's] the number one, whether he's focused or not, we run into issues. We've seen it before. We saw it in Cleveland prior to getting LeBron. We saw it when he went to Boston. We saw it in Brooklyn the last couple of years when KD was out. He had to be the number one guy. He had to maybe be the voice in that locker room, and he went backwards.
"You don't necessarily trust him, but when he's the number two guy and he's fully focused, absolutely. That's probably the most interesting thing over the course of the next couple of weeks in regards to the Nets. One, the timeline for KD and how quickly he can recover, but also, how does Kyrie look as the teams number one and can he keep the good vibes going?"
While it is unclear how long Kevin Durant will be sidelined, it will be at least two weeks before he is re-evaluated, meaning he will miss at least six games. The Brooklyn Nets have won 18 of their past 20 games.
Watch Justin Termine's comments on Kyrie Irving's ability to lead the Brooklyn Nets without Kevin Durant below:
"Can he keep the good vibes going?"
With Kevin Durant out, @TermineRadio wonders if Kyrie can keep the Nets afloat? https://t.co/o7tFVHvayQ
Can Kyrie Irving keep the Nets afloat?
Kevin Durant will miss at least six games if he is cleared to play when he is re-evaluated in two weeks. Fortunately for Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets, they do not face a tough schedule over the next two weeks. While they will face the Boston Celtics, who they trail by one game in the Eastern Conference standings, on Thursday, the Nets will face struggling opponents in their next five contests.
While Brooklyn is unlikely to continue their recent play without their best player, if they are able to even play .500 basketball in his absence, they will likely avoid drastically slipping in the standings.
Irving has played at an All-Star level all season long, averaging 26.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field, 36.6% from 3-point range, and 90.7% from the free-throw line. With Durant out, however, both Irving and the Nets supporting cast will need to take their game to another level.
Watch Kyrie Irving's highlights below: