"He’s Top 5 skilled player of All-Time!" - Kendrick Perkins gives a bold compliment to Kyrie Irving after his talismanic performance against Milwaukee Bucks
Kyrie Irving put on a show against the reigning champions Milwaukee Bucks and Kendrick Perkins heaped high praise on the superstar point guard.
After the depleted Brooklyn Nets defeated the Bucks 126-123, Perkins tweeted:
"That was one hell of performance by Kyrie Irving tonight. He showed us all why he’s Top 5 skilled player of All-Time! Carry the hell on…"
Kyrie Irving is undoubtedly one of the most skilled players of all time. He has an infinite number of tricks in his bag and can score from all over the floor. He arguably has the best layup package in the NBA and practically no defender is able to contain him for an extended period of time.
Irving dropped a game-high 38 points on 53% shooting from the field while making tough shots all game long. He also contributed with 5 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 39 minutes. The Bucks' Big 3 of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 73 points, 20 assists and 22 rebounds while Bobby Portis also exploded for 30 points and 12 rebounds. However, that wasn't enough to overcome Kyrie Irving's gargantuan performance.
Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 38 points (14/26 FG) in a win vs the Bucks!
Dragic: "When you watch Kyrie, it feels like he's in the video games. It's just crazy how he moves & how he's making those tough shots."
https://t.co/eLfonZsyWO
After the blockbuster James Harden trade that sent him to Philadelphia, Irving has reclaimed his usual point guard role. Until Kevin Durant is healthy and Ben Simmons is cleared to play, the responsibility of leading the team has fallen on Irving's shoulders. The seven-time All-Star is happy to play alongside his teammates and credits them for making his job easier. He spoke at the postgame press conference, saying:
"When you're playing with guys that are coming off the ball, being very selfless, putting their body on the line and thinking the game, it just makes my job a lot easier to lead the offense as best I can as the point guard."
Although the Nets are currently 8th in the East, they are still considered one of the best teams in the league when fully healthy. They are fighting to avoid the play-in tournament, and many analysts believe they will be a force to be reckoned with once the playoffs come around.
.@mrvincecarter15 says the Nets are the best team in the East with Kyrie playing full-time ⬇️ https://t.co/xsnD5FtUyY
Kyrie Irving might play in every Brooklyn Nets game moving forward
Kyrie Irving is now only available for road games due to his unvaccinated status and the Nets only play nine of their remaining 21 games away from Barclays Center. However, the New York City government announced that they might relax the regulations around the vaccine and Irving might make his season debut at home soon enough.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams says he can’t wait to lift the vaccine mandate and the city is moving in the right direction but reiterated he would do it the safe way and won’t jeopardize closing down the city again. This gives hope that Kyrie Irving can play in NY before the season ends. https://t.co/3tyjl31rBg
Upon hearing the news, Nets fans rejoiced, thinking their superstar point guard would lace up at home. As reported by Sports Illustrated's Madison Williams, Irving spoke regarding the matter:
"I’m glad that things are kind of settling down and there’s light at the end of the tunnel here...Hopefully, I can get back on that home floor playing in the Barclays and now we can finally have that conversation that you’ve been dying to have just about turning the page and moving forward beyond this."
Only time will tell if the city lifts the mandate and if Irving can play in Barclays Center. Until then, the eighth-seeded Nets need him to perform his best in the remaining nine games he is eligible to play in.