“Playing with the best of the best is where I belong” - Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving on being allowed to play again
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is ecstatic on being allowed to play again. He is close to making his season debut after he was given permission by the franchise to be a part-time player for the rest of the campaign. The Nets called him back to the fray after their struggles with injuries to key players and a COVID-19 outbreak in their camp.
Irving recently revealed that he has managed to keep himself in shape when he was first suspended by the Nets because of his anti-vaccination stance. He said that playing a lot of pickup games in middle school and college gyms helped him stay ready and in shape during his time on the sidelines.
Expressing his happiness on being back where 'he belongs', Irving said (via Nets Videos):
"It's nothing like being in this environment and playing with the best of the best; this is where I belong. This is where I've worked my entire life to be, so it's like riding a bike man or being at your first day in school again, just going back out there again, I missed it."
Kyrie Irving tested positive for COVID-19 when he first reported back, and was in the league's health and safety protocols until December 28th. Irving will be eligible to play games away from New York, as he is still unvaccinated. He could make his season debut on January 5th against the Indiana Pacers.
Kyrie Irving says he went to middle school and college gyms to play in pickup games while he was away from the Nets: https://t.co/Qdj5QJN6HP
Brooklyn Nets will receive much-needed help with Kyrie Irving's return
Kyrie Irving's return will only improve the Brooklyn Nets' chances of doing well this campaign.
They sit first in the Eastern Conference standings with a 23-9 record, without Irving playing a single game. The Nets, though, have had to rely heavily on their two other stars, Kevin Durant and James Harden, during this period.
.@KendrickPerkins thinks the Nets are making the right move bringing Kyrie back.
“I’d rather a part-time Kyrie than a no-time Kyrie! … You need a Kyrie Irving when you go on the road in the playoffs.” https://t.co/TH6jcuihyR
The duo have played heavy minutes, which isn't ideal early in the season, considering their injury history. Irving's return for road games will ease the pressure off Durant and Harden significantly. The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, have struggled to perform well against teams with the best records across both conferences.
They could have fared better if they had Irving in the squad for those games. Nevertheless, he is back now, so the Brooklyn Nets should have a better chance against the best teams in the league when they face them next.