Nash ‘hopeful’ Kyrie debuts Wednesday
Kyrie Irving is finally set to play. It couldn’t come at a better time for the Nets, mired in a season-worst three-game losing skid.
The seven-time All-Star is expected to make his season debut on Wednesday night when the Nets play in Indiana.
“Yeah, we’re hopeful. But no determination has been made yet. So we’ll see how he does between now and then,” coach Steve Nash said. “[It’s about] how he feels and whether we determine it’s safe for him to come back.”
The Athletic was the first to report that Irving was targeting the Pacers game for his return, and both teammates and coaches were hopeful the seven-time All-Star could suit up and make his debut on Wednesday.
“Yeah, you know, he’s a one-of-one player, one-of-one individual. We can’t wait to have him back. Hopefully he’s going to be with us in Indiana. So we’re looking forward to having him back,” Nic Claxton said. “You know there’ll be a small adjustment period, but having one of the best point guards of all time on a court, you can never go wrong with that.”
The Nets are 23-12 after Monday’s 118-104 loss to Memphis, two games behind the Bulls in the East. And that’s despite Irving not having played a single second due to his refusal to adhere to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
That’s about to change if the performance team and training staff clear Irving, and he feels ready to go by Wednesday.
“Yeah I mean that’s always good. To have new energy, but more than anything he’s an efficient player who can put pressure on the defense and good defender as well,” Kevin Durant said. “So we’re just looking forward to what he brings as a player and as far as the energy you got to bring your own energy as an individual and bring that to the collective and we’ll see what happens but just keep building.”
Wednesday could be the first time the Big 3 are together since James Harden pulled his hamstring seconds into Game 1 of last season’s Eastern Conference semis.
Still, Harden cautioned the Nets can’t just expect Irving to be the one-man panacea to cure everything that ails them.
“It’s still man — we’d love to have him back, he’s a special talent — but there’s things we need to correct internally and individually that can help us,” Harden said. “And then, adding Kyrie back is even more special. We have to do the things that are necessary to win games possession by possession and individually.”
Irving became just the ninth player in NBA history to record shooting splits of 50/40/90, and only the fourth — behind Durant, Steph Curry and Larry Bird (twice) — to do it while averaging 25 points.
“It’s exciting to know that we obviously have the caliber that’s been tucked in our back pocket,” Patty Mills said. “But it’s how are we able to put the pieces together on court to make this thing go the way that we want to. So on paper it’s all said and good, but we’ve got to be able to understand and know how to use that.”