Irving apologizes for posting link to antisemitic material, returns to lineup

Kyrie Irving returned to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday and apologized to anyone who felt threatened or hurt when he posted a link to a documentary with antisemitic material.

Irving was suspended by the team on Nov. 3, hours after he refused to say he had no antisemitic beliefs when meeting with reporters at the Nets’ practice facility.

Back at the building for the team’s morning shootaround, Irving said he should have handled that interview differently.

“I don’t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is going against the human race,” Irving said. “I feel like we all should have an opportunity to speak for ourselves when things are assumed about us and I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountability for my actions, because there was a way I should have handled all this and as I look back and reflect when I had the opportunity to offer my deep regrets to anyone that felt threatened or felt hurt by what I posted, that wasn’t my intent at all.”

Irving missed eight games during the suspension, which the Nets said would be for a minimum of five games without pay. Coach Jacque Vaughn said Irving would be in the starting lineup against Memphis.

It will be Irving’s first game since a Nov. 1 loss to Chicago on the day Vaughn replaced Steve Nash.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Suns 116, Knicks 95:

Cameron Payne scored 21 points, Devin Booker added 20 and host Phoenix used a dominating second half to beat New York. Deandre Ayton had 13 points and 11 rebounds and all of the Suns’ starters scored in double figures. Torrey Craig scored 14 points and Mikal Bridges 13. Reserve Damion Lee scored 15 and shot 4 of 6 from three-point range. The Suns played without

Chris Paul for the sixth straight game. Jalen

Brunson scored 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting to lead the Knicks. RJ Barrett finished with 12 points and Quentin Grimes scored 10.

Wizards 106, Hornets 102: Kyle Kuzma had 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, helping host Washington beat Charlotte Hornets. Bradley Beal scored 26 points, but wasn’t on the floor for the final 9.8 seconds despite Washington being up just two points. He walked with a slight limp to the locker room before the game ended. All five

Washington starters scored in double figures. The Wizards have won six of seven. Kelly Oubre Jr.

led Charlotte with 23 points. Gordon Hayward

added 18 points. The Hornets have lost 11 of 12.

Kings 137, Pistons

129: De’Aaron Fox had 33 points and seven assists and host Sacramento extended its winning streak to six games with a win over Detroit. The Kings have won eight of their past 10 games after starting the season 0-4. Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey

had 24 points.