Kyrie Irving put on a clinic in his debut with the Nets yesterday. He was a master with the ball in his hands, showing off his repertoire of moves to torch the Timberwolves en route to posting a whopping 50 points on the board. Needless to say, the pace of the match bordered on the ridiculous, producing 209 field-goal attempts through 53 minutes of play all told. And of the aggregate, 33 were his. Still, no complaints came from head coach Kenny Atkinson or from teammates only too willing to take in the spectacle unfolding right before their eyes.
That Irving is a magician off the dribble cannot be denied. His handles are unparalleled, and arguably the best of the best in the National Basketball Association. That said, it isn’t his capacity to score that pundits have called to question. It’s his capacity to do so while attuned to collective objectives. For all his accomplishments as a champion with the LeBron James-led Cavaliers, he fumbled in his attempt to be the cornerstone with the Celtics. And it’s in the context of his less-than-cordial exit with the storied franchise that his comportment in his new home will be judged.
In this regard, Irving couldn’t have been pleased with the outcome. The Nets lost by the smallest of margins, and after he missed what could have been the game winner in the extra period. For those from the outside looking in, there’s no small measure of irony that teammate Jarrett Allen flubbed two free throws with the score tied late in the fourth quarter, and that his potential heroics in overtime were then spoiled after he lost his balance. The implication of both turns of events: He may be the best option by far, but he’s not flawless.
Irving has gone on record to argue that Kevin Durant, the more illustrious of the Nets’ duo of All-Stars, will not be rushed back from convalescence. In so doing, he’s all but guaranteeing that he can keep the ship afloat until the two-time Finals Most Valuable Player has fully recovered from a ruptured right Achilles tendon. It’s a tall order, his willingness and ability to bob and weave for scores notwithstanding. And if yesterday’s outing is any indication, the season looks to be long and filled with ups and downs that may or may not fuel his notorious restlessness.
To be sure, the Nets are a classy organization that features Atkinson’s steady supervision, and Irving should benefit from the support he receives. Then again, the same was said of the Celtics and Brad Stevens this time last year. If there’s any silver lining, then, it lies in his desire to prove that he’s no poison, and that he can, in fact, lead on and off the court. Yesterday sent mixed signals, but his was, at the very least, a promising start.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
