“Kyrie right now is operating with such mastery” - Max Kellerman on Kyrie Irving’s "ridiculous" 60-pt performance vs the Orlando Magic
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving's 60-point explosion against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night has garnered immense praise from the NBA world.
On ESPN's radio show "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," sports media personality Max Kellerman spoke about how Irving is on another level at the moment. Kellerman said:
"Kyrie right now is operating with such mastery. Kyrie's mastery not only of the skill but when to deploy the skill – the wisdom combined with the mastery of the skill level. It was a masterclass. It was ridiculous."
Kyrie dropped 60 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists along with four steals in a 150-108 win. He made 64.5 percent of his shots (20-for-31) and 66.7% of his 3-pointers (8-for-12). He also was 12-for-13 at the free-throw line. It was a reminder to the rest of the NBA of how good Kyrie Irving is.
Irving also scored 50 on March 8 in a 132-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Plus, he scored 22 points and five assists while locking down James Harden in a pivotal 129-100 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Can Kyrie Irving lead the Nets to a championship this season?
The new Big Three of the Brooklyn Nets (36-33) have the capability to beat anybody on any given day.
With Kevin Durant, Irving and simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">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, allows the team to get going.
On Sunday, Kevin Durant scored 53 points.
Tonight, Kyrie Irving is at 51 (and counting).
They're the first teammates in NBA history to score 50+ points in consecutive games. https://t.co/8Ee6nfcMOh
With Irving playing, Simmons could operate as a quintessential point guard who orchestrates the offense and is not worried 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 for Durant and allow him to be more efficient and effective.
The only worries as far as coach nash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Steve Nash is concerned are team chemistry and defense. Irving isn't a great defender, and that could hurt a team that is 19th in defensive rating. But the addition of Simmons, one of the league's best defenders, will help.
Kyrie Irving is the 3rd player in the past 25 seasons to score at least 40 points in the first half.
He joins Kobe Bryant (42 in 2003) and Klay Thompson (40 in 2016). https://t.co/967Ysp62zM
Team chemistry is also something the Big Three will have to figure out by spending more time on the court.
Because his vaccination status bars him from playing in New York City, Irving will only be allowed to play three more of Brooklyn's remaining 13 games. Meanwhile, Simmons' debut is yet to be determined. Plus, 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.