“Kyrie likes to be a crusader, he likes to shatter the mold” - Skip Bayless believes Kyrie Irving’s issues with the Boston crowd could escalate further
NBA and Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving was involved in an altercation with a Boston Celtics fan in Game 1 of the round of the playoffs between the two sides and the Nets superstar was given a $50,000 fine for his gesture to the fan.
On Fox Sports' morning show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, Skip Bayless spoke about how things could escalate even further in Game 2 between Kyrie and the fans at TD Garden as the Nets superstar could be even more motivated this time around. Bayless said:
"This will escalate, he has escalated it. It could also benefit him greatly for it to escalate because he fed off it in the fourth quarter and merely scored 18 points with his fire being fed by those fans. Kyrie likes to be crusaded, he liked to shatter the mould and I just have a feeling that he will go back just as strongly tonight as he did on Sunday."
Kyrie Irving dropped 39 points in Game 1 of the series by shooting 60% from both the field and from beyond the arc but the Nets lost the game thanks to a Jayson Tatum buzzer-beater.
.@RealSkipBayless believes Kyrie Irving will escalate beef with Celtics fans in Game 2 and give them the middle finger again, even after his $50K fine: https://t.co/3lWxS3P3kN
Can Kyrie Irving lead the Nets to a championship this season?
The new Big Three of the Brooklyn Nets have the capability to beat anybody on their day. With Kevin Durant, Irving and Ben Simmons (who has yet to play), the Nets possess an offensive juggernaut that can consistently drop 120 points. The ability of the first two to create shots, draw fouls and catch and shoot, coupled with Simmons' ability to run the offense, allow the team to get going.
With Kyrie Irving playing, Simmons could operate as a quintessential point guard who orchestrates the offense and does not need to worry about scoring. Irving slots in as the off guard who is focused on one thing and one thing only, which is to get buckets. This will also alleviate the scoring burden on Durant and allow him to be more efficient and effective.
Kyrie Irving was 9-9 from the field in the 1st half, his 2nd most makes without a miss in any half of his career.
He was 10-10 in the 1st half vs the Bulls on Jan. 31, 2020. https://t.co/yHUcyivepI
The only worries as far as coach Steve Nash is concerned are team chemistry and defense. Irving isn't a great defender, and that could hurt a team that is 20th in defensive rating during the regular season. But the addition of Simmons, one of the league's best defenders, will help.
Team chemistry is also something the Big Three will have to figure out by spending more time together on court. Meanwhile, it's not yet clear when Simmons will turn out for the Nets. The Slim Reaper has just returned to the fold from a knee injury. Having to constantly chop and change the lineup could prove to be problematic for Nash and the coaching staff of the Brooklyn Nets.