“Oscar, West, Jordan, Magic…… to put him on that level is outlandish” - Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo on whether Kyrie Irving is an all-time great guard, says he’s perfect as a secondary guy to LeBron or KD
Kyrie Irving put on a masterclass against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. But famous radio personality Chris "Mad Dog" Russo doesn't believe that performance is enough to elevate him among the all-time great guards.
Irving broke the Nets' franchise record for most points in a game by scoring 60 on just 31 shots in a 132-121 win. He has now scored 132 points in his last three games, but many analysts, like Russo, aren't going to be caught up in recency bias.
Russo believes Irving doesn't belong in the category of greats like Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Bob Cousy. On ESPN's "First Take," Russo said Irving is not an "immortal" figure in the NBA:
"Well, listen, we know he's a great player, and Steve's (Stephen A. Smith) going to put him on this level where he doesn't belong. He is not an immortal. Let's take it easy with immortality. To be an immortal in the NBA, you're going to need to do some special, transcendent things.
"To put him in that, guards (category with) Oscar, West, Jordan, Magic ... to put him on that level is outlandish."
Russo said Irving is not an immortal because he has never been able to carry a team on his own. Irving has never been the sole or main superstar on a championship team. He needs an alpha player as a teammate who can be the leader.
Giving examples of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, Russo said Irving is the ideal second fiddle. He said that is the main reason why Irving doesn't deserve to be considered an all-time great. He continued:
"Kyrie Irving needed LeBron (James) to bail him out in Cleveland. The team stunk before LeBron got there, and then he went to Boston and they were better without him. ... The year he got hurt, they went further.
"And then when he left, they were better without him. Kyrie is perfect when he can play with that secondary guy with him who's better. In this case, Durant (and) in Cleveland with LeBron."
.@MadDogUnleashed says pump the breaks on Kyrie Irving being an all-time great guard.
“Kyrie is perfect when he can play with that secondary guy with him who’s better, in this case Durant, in Cleveland with LeBron…” https://t.co/CxIlPIa0Qv
Regardless of how one feels about Irving's game, Russo makes a strong point. Irving has never been able to shoulder the burden of being the main superstar. His venture with the Celtics ended horribly. In his first few years in Cleveland, he was an All-Star, but the team never made the playoffs and, in fact, had a losing record each season.
Irving can certainly dance his way around defenders, and his game is absolutely mesmerizing, but he probably doesn't deserve to be listed alongside champions and MVPs. He hasn't done anything significant in his career in terms of accolades, and his resume simply doesn't match the Hall of Famers mentioned by Russo.
Irving has never been in the running for the league MVP award and is also never been a member of the All-NBA first team. He made the second team twice and the third team once.
Kyrie Irving channeled his inner Kobe Bryant when he erupted for 60 points against Orlando
Kyrie Irving went berserk against the Orlando Magic and erupted for a career-high 60 points just a few days after dropping 50 against the Hornets.
No 60-point performance is pedestrian, but Irving's was especially incredible to behold. He danced around defenders all night and kept sinking shot after shot. He attempted a few 3-pointers early in the game, and after those went in, he sensed it could be a special night.
The Brooklyn Nets star got 60 on just 31 shots while shooting 64.5% (20-for-31), including 66.7% (8-for-12) of his 3-point shots. He converted 12 of 13 free throws. Some of the layups he made seem practically impossible to replicate, and his handle and finishing were on full display.
ATTN: Eleven taught another class tonight. Please review the film if you haven’t…
Irving said he channeled his inner Kobe Bryant during the game because he attempted some ill-advised shots as well. He was heavily contested on a shot and airballed it. However, just like the late great Black Mamba, he didn't care about the efficiency or outcome of the shot, he was going to hoist them up anyway. He said:
"I don't usually shoot these types of shots, but I'm gonna just get in my Kobe bag real quick and live with the results. Triple-team coming at me, and I just looked over at the coaching staff, and they were just like, 'Keep playing,' but one of those moments."
Kyrie Irving said he regrets the contested shot that resulted in an airball tonight in his 60-point game:
"I don't usually shoot these type of shots, but imma just get in my Kobe bag really quick and live with the results" 😂 https://t.co/DX8MjNe2do
Kyrie Irving continued:
"You know, when you're a kid scoring a bunch of points, it means something, but when you're in the best league in the world doing it against the greatest athletes that are playing our game, it means a little bit more."