"It makes for good stories...It's never too personal" - Kyrie Irving reflects on Nets' upcoming battle against James Harden's 76ers and the media narrative around it
With the hype surrounding the highly-anticipated battle between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers on March 10th, Kyrie Irving offered some insight when he spoke about playing against his former teammate James Harden.
Coming off a win against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night, the Nets enjoyed the win riding on Irving's masterful 50-point performance.
KYRIE IRVING 🔥
50 POINTS on 19 SHOTS
https://t.co/lYyrmM2nsH
While his performance was the talk of the night, the upcoming game against Philadelphia still garnered more attention from the media.
Responding to comments about playing against James Harden and the 76ers, Kyrie Irving had this to say:
"It makes for good stories. It makes for good narratives. It makes for good build-up for our league. It's never too personal, but we understand that as competitors, we want to win the game."
Kyrie Irving says playing against James Harden won't be about individual match-ups: "It makes for good stories. It makes for good narratives. It makes for good build-up for our league. It's never too personal, but we understand that as competitors, we want to win the game."
Born out of a superstar trade that saw James Harden join Philadelphia in exchange for Ben Simmons, the Brooklyn Nets' matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers has an air of hostility to say the least.
Considering Simmons' poor relationship with the city of Philadelphia and the 76ers organization, his welcome party is bound to be a noteworthy event.
Although Simmons will be unavailable for the game, the matchup will still see a reunion between James Harden and his former Brooklyn Nets teammates Irving and Kevin Durant.
With two superpowers in the Eastern Conference facing off against each other, the game is as a must-watch for basketball fans.
Can Kyrie Irving be a difference maker against the Philadelphia 76ers?
The Brooklyn Nets' matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers has quickly become one of the most highly anticipated games this season. Although the Nets enjoy a 2-1 series lead against the 76ers, Philadelphia had emerged as winners in the previous game - which was played at Barclays Center.
The difference in this upcoming matchup is simple. Kyrie Irving plays alongside Kevin Durant.
Although the Nets have fallen off dramatically, a team featuring the duo of Durant and Irving is a team to be feared.
Coming up against one of the best superstar combos in the league, the Nets will have their hands full playing against the likes of Joel Embiid and James Harden. SInce joining Philadelphia, the side have enjoyed a 5-0 record with Harden on the floor.
James Harden in 5 games with the Sixers:
24.6 PPG
7.6 RPG
12.4 APG
53/45/89%
5-0. https://t.co/tNA8vIluob
As Irving mentioned, however, the game is not about individual matchups.
Considering the form the 76ers are in with Harden running the offense, every player - in the starting rotation at least - is a potential scoring threat.
Kyrie Irving could definitely shift the balance of the game on a whim. In a one-on-one situation, either him or Kevin Durant could take over the game.
The Nets, however, will need to see contributions and effort from every one of their players in order to beat the second-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.