With the Nets desperate for a victory, Kyrie Irving delivered his best game of the season Saturday night in a win over the defending champs, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Irving scored 38 points and carried Brooklyn’s offense in crunch time in a 126-123 victory at Milwaukee.
Not only was the win significant in the standings for the Nets, who moved to within three-and-a-half games of escaping the play-in tournament, it helped erase some bad memories for Irving, who suffered an ankle injury that knocked him out of the playoffs in his last trip to Fiserv Forum.
“I haven’t been back in this building since then, and I tried my best not to wear my emotions on my face or on my shoulder, but sometimes they get the best of me,” Irving said. “But it definitely felt like there was a weight lifted just getting back here, being healthy, getting a win and knowing that there’s a possibility we could see them down the line again. So it makes our competition in our league that much more fun.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- After the game, Irving addressed comments this week from New York City mayor Eric Adams, who is thinking about lifting the city’s vaccine mandate, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. Whenever that happens, Irving will instantly become eligible to play in the Nets’ home games. “I’m glad that things are kind of settling down and there’s light at the end of the tunnel here,” Irving said. “Hopefully, I can get back on that home floor playing in the Barclays and now we can finally have that conversation that you’ve been dying to have just about turning the page and moving forward beyond this.”
- Brooklyn is 5-14 since Kevin Durant suffered an MCL sprain on January 15, but there’s optimism that he won’t be out much longer, according to Greg Joyce of The New York Post. The Nets put Durant through a second high-intensity workout Saturday, and if he doesn’t show any ill effects he’ll just need one more to be medically cleared. Coach Steve Nash doesn’t expect Durant to be available for back-to-back games with the Raptors Monday and Tuesday, but said he may play later in the week.
- Goran Dragic made his debut with the Nets Saturday, playing 14 minutes and scoring six points. It was his first game action since November 13 and he admits being tired and having to come out after six minutes, Lewis tweets.
Kyrie Irving is a BEAST. I feel sorry for whoever has to play Brooklyn in the 1st rd
Why just make the mandatory COVID shot on road games problem solved LOL
I think they will lift the mandates. It’s already half done. Concerts don’t all have it. Plus it was always bad to let away teams not follow the mandate. Nets best news is getting healthy. To me KD and Ben is a match made in basketball heaven.
Nets bench players have been getting plenty of mins. This team will be dangerous in playoffs. It they are a 8-6 seed. I too fell sorry for that top seed that has to play them.
I don’t know that I feel sorry for any of these multimillionaires because they have to play the sport they’re paid to play, but I agree. Nice job, Al.
NY wants the NBA playoffs bad. Knicks not going. So I see them lifting the mandates lol. I like Ben so I’ll be rooting for him.
Interesting. How much does one have to earn before you turn off your empathy?
Oh don’t worry I do feel bad for all of you all the time