ICYMI: Brooklyn Nets fans go berserk as Kyrie Irving scores his first bucket of the season at Barclays Center
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving played his first game at the Barclays Center on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets. The 30-year-old was ineligible to play in New York due to the state's vaccine mandates. However, the authorities decided to lift those mandates for athletes, allowing Irving to play home games again.
Irving received a warm reception upon his return to the Barclays Center. Here's a glimpse of how the home fans reacted to his first bucket on the Nets' homecourt for the 2021-22 NBA season (via SNY Nets):
The Barclays Center crowd erupts as Kyrie Irving makes his first home bucket of the season: https://t.co/FfK3AYgvAo
The Brooklyn Nets will be happy to have Kyrie Irving available for all games moving forward. They have struggled to win games consistently since Kevin Durant went down with an injury in January, and Irving's availability will sort out their issues to a great extent. Additionally, the Nets will also receive a boost in the playoffs should they win the play-in tournament this year.
Brooklyn Nets lose in Kyrie Irving's home debut
The Brooklyn Nets would've hoped to get off to a winning start in Kyrie Irving's first home of the season. However, the Charlotte Hornets had other ideas as they handed the New York-based franchise a crushing defeat on Sunday.
It was a close contest that went right down to the wire. Irving had an off night until the fourth quarter, when he gave Brooklyn a one-point lead with 3:34 left on the game clock. However, the Hornets held on to win the tie 119-110. Irving finished with only 16 points on six of 22 shots from the field, including one of nine from 3-point range.
He has been solid all season, so this was a rare off outing for the dynamic guard. Irving has averaged 27.1 points and 5.1 assists per game across 22 games on a 48/41/90 shooting split.
"At guard, from Duke University, No. 11, Kyrie Irving!" https://t.co/yNY8T2c6KH
The Brooklyn Nets still have five games left to play at home this season. Irving will have plenty of opportunities to give the home fans something to cheer for as the Nets aim to gain some momentum entering the postseason.
He will also get to spend more time with his All-Star teammate Kevin Durant on the floor, something that hasn't happened as frequently since Kyrie Irving and KD decided to join forces in 2019. It will be a tough road ahead for the Brooklyn Nets to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Nevertheless, with the likes of Irving and Durant leading their charge, they will be a feared team moving forward.