It’s Weird, But Kyrie Irving Is Back
After Kyrie Irving’s long-awaited return to action last night, I decided to break down everything associated with his return.
Last night, we saw Kyrie Irving in action. Irving played his first NBA game since the 2nd round of the playoffs. Irving made his triumphant return to the floor against Lance Stephenson and the Pacers last night. Fittingly, it was a weird night for the Nets.
But one thing remains the same. No matter how weird or awkward, Kyrie Irving is back to playing basketball. Here are my thoughts on everything that transpired last night.
The Product On The Floor
First, let’s talk strictly about what we saw on the floor. Like always, the Big 3 was a spectacle that you couldn’t take your eyes off of. KD poured in 39 points. James Harden led the offense well. Even after missing all this time, Irving had no problem fitting in.
After a slow start, Irving settled in nicely. He didn’t force up bad shots. Nor did he force any action. Irving provided something that the Nets have missed without him on the floor. With the shot clock running down, Irving can make something out of nothing.
Of his nine field goals, just three of them were assisted. Irving’s ability to bail out his teams with tough shots is invaluable. The Nets couldn’t do that without him, but now they do. Stalling possessions will become less frequent, which is great for Brooklyn.
The Nets also have that ability to be unguardable again. Defenses now have to deal with three, not just two, of the most dangerous offensive weapons the game has ever seen. The whole reason James Harden is a Net is because of that upgradability. With Irving returning to the fray, that dream has been realized again.
As Rob Mahoney of The Ringer put it;
If any star in the NBA was going to voluntarily sit out almost half a season and then attempt to rejoin his team on a part-time basis, it would be Irving. Kyrie doesn’t need flow. He doesn’t need sets, or rhythm, or continuity. He just needs the ball.
Even with all that has gone on, Irving fit in perfectly. After the Nets couldn’t slow down Lance Stephenson in the first half (not a typo), they resolved. A 21-point differential in the second half drove Brooklyn to their first Irving win of the season.
Irving, Harden, and Durant played just 17 minutes together. They were a +16 in those minutes. They had a +45.7 net rating when they were on the floor. The level of production this trio produces is unparalleled.
The Nets having Kyrie back helps out their weak bench mightily. The Nets have had to rely on DeAndre’ Bembry, James Johnson, David Duke Jr, and Blake Griffin for production. There were too many times when the Nets didn’t have KD & Harden on the floor. With Irving back, a superstar can be on the floor at all times. This stabilizes the Nets’ offense attack.
To an extent, the Nets’ depth issues have been solved. The Nets Big 3 has been reunited, making them the scariest offensive core in the league. Expect an explosion in offense every time the Nets are away from home.
Scary Hours
The Balancing Act About To Begin
I would love to talk about the effectiveness of the Nets with Irving back, but I can’t do that without doing one thing first. The whole reason this situation is unlike any other is that Irving is a part-time player. While Irving is capable of dealing with the weirdness that comes with not playing every night, what about the guys around him?
Let’s start with Steve Nash. Nash’s already stressful job has been complicated ten-fold because of Irving. Last year, Nash had to balance the egos of three superstars. He once again has to do that task, this time with a twist.
Nash has to coach two different styles – one with Irving and one without him. With Irving, Nash has to change his rotation completely. The bench will play less. Nash will have to adjust how much Irving plays on his own or with other members of the trio.
Nash has to monitor Kyrie’s health and conditioning. His game plan on both ends changes when one of the most gifted offensive players of this generation is eligible to play.
Then there’s life without Irving, something Nash has already had to learn to start 2022. The Nets were near the top of the Eastern Conference without Irving, chugging along despite major flaws. I have been critical of Nash in the past, but I have to admit, he was doing a great job given the circumstances.
Kevin Durant & James Harden are delighted to have their buddy back, but they too have to participate in this balancing act. I doubt KD, who remains at the top of his game, will struggle. I do have my questions about Harden.
The Beard has struggled to find his identity without Irving. Do I score? Do I facilitate? A little bit of both? Harden’s fitness level is the consensus reason as to why he’s been crap this season. I think that’s part of it, but not figuring out a role is the better answer.
With Irving, similar to last season, expect fewer shots from Harden. He’ll be the lead ball-handler who makes everyone happy, occasionally deciding to attack. I think this role fits Harden perfectly. He’s not being asked to do too much with Irving on the floor. He can be more decisive with his attacks, still putting immense pressure on the defense when he does decide to attack.
Harden’s challenge remains to be successful when Irving isn’t on the floor. Harden still draws free throws at an alarming rate, but his playstyle hasn’t changed. I doubt it will ever change, which is a topic for another day, but the Nets need MVP Harden.
A Harden who isn’t thinking about the number of fouls he is or isn’t getting. A Harden who is making his outside shots. A Harden who attacks the rim instead of settling for awkward-ass floaters.
I will be very interested to see how Harden adjusts to this new change. Irving’s return will do more good than bad to his game, but he will have the toughest time adjusting out of any Nets player.
Irving’s part-time status as a player will come into full swing in the Nets’ upcoming games. Tomorrow night, the Bucks and Nets rematch in a heavyweight bout of their second-round series last year. Since it’s at home, Irving won’t be able to participate.
We won’t get a good gauge of how this matchup looks like. If the Bucks win, there’s always the ‘no Kyrie’ excuse. If the Nets win, we’ll immediately disregard the Bucks because they couldn’t beat a Kyrie-less Nets squad.
On January 12th, the Nets take on the Bulls. This time, Irving will be present. Noticing a detrimental patter at all? It will be nearly impossible for us to see how good the Nets are against their rivals. Depending on Irving’s status on a given game, I find it hard to see how we’ll evaluate the Nets properly.
Again, Irving will not miss a beat in this unique arrangement. Similar to a younger kid in a divorce, there is hardly any change. But to the parents, in this case, the people/coaches around him, this experience will be weird. The circus from last year has added some new, unvaccinated clowns to their show.
Are The Nets Back To Being Title Favorites?
After a lot of thought, I have decided that the Nets are back to being the title favorites. With Irving on the floor, they are back to being the most talented team in the NBA. Even with the incomparable journey the Nets are about to partake, I think they stand a chance against anybody.
Not having Irving for a whole seven-game series is playing a dangerous game. Can the Nets survive against Miami, Milwaukee, and Chicago at home? Stealing games on the road will be as easy as ever, but the Nets might have to employ a devious strategy to win.
I think the Nets can survive against 95% of teams without having Irving for an entire series. But I think that if they were the #2 or even the #3 seed, they would be better off. That means, if they played a higher seed or a team with more wins in the playoffs, they would have four games with Kyrie, not three. Just something to think about if you’re the Nets.
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