"I didn’t know how it was gonna be" - Kyrie Irving gives a candid account of his time away from NBA
For the second straight game and in just his fifth NBA game of the season, Kyrie Irving is already looking like his old superstar self. He just led the Brooklyn Nets to an edge-of-your-seat win over the Washington Wizards to even their record to 1-1 since Kevin Durant was injured. Irving finished with 30 points in 38 minutes and had a game-high +13 offensive rating.
When asked in a post-game interview what he did to get himself in top condition and seemingly without rust, Kyrie Irving gave a detailed explanation. Here’s how he responded to the query:
“For me, coming back, I didn’t know how it was gonna be. I just went in with an open mind, open heart. In the time when I was not able to be with the team, I was playing 24 with a bunch of friends, I was playing with some high school kids, I was training high school kids…boys and girls from high school, boys and girls from college as well, guys in the NBA and girls in the WNBA and that’s what kept me connected.”
Kyrie Irving reflects on the work it's taken to ramp up to play, and how he's trained and talked with people ranging from friends, high school athletes, college athletes, NBA players & WNBA players when he was away from the Nets: https://t.co/hKh69HzXoG
Considering how well if not great Kyrie Irving has been playing, it’s very surprising that he only got minimal workouts from the people he was playing with. It’s safe to say that he wasn’t playing against NBA-level competition during his time away from the Brooklyn Nets. It’s surprising how great he already looks despite limited workouts.
The mercurial point guard also added that playing with and against different levels of basketball talent has given him a new perspective on the game.
“I’m not too far away from the game. I’m able to still watch, am able to still observe, I’m able to still teach, but they were teaching me!... I got a chance to see the game from another viewpoint, how much impact we really make the world on this and how much your message needs to be spread out. I grouped all that together to be in the gym just once in a while.”
Despite the uncertainties leading into his re-entry to the Brooklyn Nets’ lineup, there is already no doubt that the team will lean on him more than ever. Kyrie Irving’s latest performances also highlight what the team has been missing in the last few months and in the coming home games.
Can Kyrie Irving keep up this form for the Brooklyn Nets?
Kevin Durant’s injury has increased the Brooklyn Nets’ level of difficulty in making the postseason. Without Kyrie Irving and Durant for at least several home games, Barclays Center is suddenly not where the Nets would be favored to win. Without their two superstars, James Harden will have a much tougher time leading the team to victories at home.
To make up for possible losses at home, Kyrie Irving will have to maintain his sizzling form for the rest of the Nets’ road games. In five games this season, the 7x All-Star is averaging 22 points, 5.4 assists and 5 rebounds. Those numbers have significantly improved in the last two games since Durant went down with an injury.
Kyrie Irving in his last 2 games:
30 PTS, 7 AST, 57 FG%
27 PTS, 9 AST
Part-time player, full time BUCKET. 🔥 https://t.co/BMASIWBKXX
He posted 28.5 points, five rebounds and eight assists to take up some of the offensive burden that Durant left. If he can keep this up, these averages will be career-best numbers. The Brooklyn Nets might need every bit of his production to get a spot in the loaded Eastern Conference.