“Their momentum goes the way Kyrie Irving goes” - Jay Williams believes the Nets-Celtics playoff series will be all about Kyrie Irving, says this series is personal
NBA and Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving has been making the airwaves for the entirety of the season but has recently been there for his performances on the court.
On ESPN's morning radio show Keyshawn, JWill and Max, former NBA player Jay Williams spoke about how Kyrie will want to prove a point when the Nets take on the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the postseason. Williams said:
"There's a legit chance they can beat the Boston Celtics. They matchup with Celtics actually pretty well, they can hinder Jayson Tatum. They have a legit chance to beat the Boston Celtics. Kyrie is on this mission, man. His energy follows him."
Kyrie Irving has been cleared to participate in games held in the borough of Brooklyn despite not being vaccinated as the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, discontinued a rule that prohibited Irving from playing in home games.
Since his return, Irving has been on fire as he is averaging 27.4 points on better than 41% shooting from beyond the arc and nearly 47% from the field.
Can Kyrie Irving lead the Nets to a championship this season?
The new Big Three of the Brooklyn Nets have the capability to beat anybody on any given day. With Kevin Durant, Irving and 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.
Kyrie Irving is the 5th player with multiple career games of 50 points and 75% FG pct in the shot-clock era.
He and Michael Jordan are the only primary guards with multiple such games. https://t.co/HT5dD59vBL
With Kyrie 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 Steve Nash is concerned are team chemistry and defense. Irving isn't a great defender, and that could hurt a team that is 20th in defensive rating during the regular season. But the addition of Simmons, one of the league's best defenders, will help.
Team chemistry is also something the Big Three will have to figure out by spending more time on the court. 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.