Surely, Kyrie Irving didn’t wait nearly a full season to play home games just to disappear down the stretch.
Irving didn’t score in the final nine minutes of action — four minutes of regulation plus overtime — and missed his only three shots in that span Thursday night as the Nets saw a nine-point lead turn into a heartbreaking 120-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished with 25 points, second to Kevin Durant’s team-high 26.
“I was following the flow of the game, and we were going to Kevin pretty often and getting him involved,” said Irving, who still attempted a team-high 22 shots. “I felt like, at times, I was using myself as a decoy. I think, moving forward, you probably won’t see that again.”
It was Irving’s third home game since Mayor Eric Adams approved the exemption for athletes and entertainers unvaccinated against COVID-19 to perform indoors. The newness could be felt when a smattering of fans chanted “Kyrie’s home!” when he stepped to the free-throw line early in the game.
“It’s just one of those games that got funky at the end,” Irving said, “but we’ve got to finish it out in regulation.”
The Nets could’ve used a defensive stopper like Ben Simmons in the waning minutes of the close game.
Alas, the point guard still is not practicing — “He really just passes the ball” as teammates go through drills, teammate Bruce Brown said — and there is little precedent for an NBA player making his season debut so close to the finish line (or in the playoffs) and being a difference-maker.
“When he does come, that will be a card to play that everyone will be excited for,” Nets guard Patty Mills said before the game, “and welcome with open arms because we become very powerful with that ace in the back pocket.”
But coach Steve Nash just can’t bank on the possibility in case the ace turns out to be a joker.
“Clearly, we’d love to have Ben play for us,” coach Steve Nash said. “We will hopefully get him back. At the same time, we can’t put our feet in the air because we don’t know when or if it’s going to happen. We just have to play what’s in front of us; with what’s the group that’s available today.”
Center Blake Griffin did not play for the 11th time in the last 17. Power forward James Johnson is averaging nearly 18 minutes per game during that stretch. Why haven’t the minutes between the bigs been split more evenly? Because they don’t play the same position. LaMarcus Aldridge did not play for the 12th straight game — nine inactives and three because of coaches’ decision.
“Blake’s best position by far is at the 5,” Nash said, squashing any explanation beyond the simplest.