Last October, Kyrie Irving told the home Boston Celtic crowd that he planned on re-signing there for the 2019-20 season. Whether we believed that at the time, and whether he would actually in fact re-sign, was up for debate.
Fast forward one year and a few weeks, and Irving in his Brooklyn, having just capped one of the great debuts in NBA history. In pouring in 50 points last night in a narrow loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in which he missed what would have been the game winning shot, Irving became just the fifth player - along with Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Anthony Davis - to score at least 50 points in a season opener.
Irving is the Nets' star, something he did also have the label of while in Boston. The difference is now - for the time being - this is his team. No longer having to share the ball, or shots, with other wings who need shots. Yes, Caris Levert is an up and comer, but there is no former All-Star (like Gordon Hayward in Boston), or budding star (Jayson Tatum) or scoring big (like Al Horford) to share shots with.
He missed the latter part of the 2017-18 season with a knee injury, and last May was mired in a shooting slump that had him shoot 25/83 over the last four games of the Celtics' second round loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Some labeled him a ball hog, and said he wasn't a leader.
I get the feeling that Irving never truly wanted to be in Boston. He seemingly butt heads with LeBron James in Cleveland because he wanted to be the guy, and have his own team.
Last night, you saw Irving as the engine that makes this Net team go. At 27, he is slowly creeping into being the veteran, with he, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan providing the nurturing for a young, talented group.
Irving addressed the crowd prior to the game, and was congratulated by teammates on his historic night after it. It was a night unlike any that he had in Boston. You sensed that this is where he wanted to be. His father, Drederick, was born in the New York City borough of the Bronx. His stepfather is Bronx native, and former NBA point guard, Rod Strickland. Kyrie is home.
And it showed last night.
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