Kyrie Irving highlights Tuesday night with a 50 bomb versus the Charlotte Hornets.
There have already been quite a few 50+ point games this season, but there was something special about this one.
Kyrie managed to score 50 points taking only 19 shots and while shooting over 75%.
The only other player to do this multiple times… Michael Jordan.
Guards in NBA history with multiple 50-point games on 75% shooting:
1. Michael Jordan
2. Kyrie IrvingEnd of list. pic.twitter.com/Z2aLTKPSdt
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 9, 2022
Pretty good company if you ask me.
For Kyrie to be able to score so easily at his size is a true testament to his skill. He can get shots however he wants. It’s a mix of calculating the moves he plans to do to size up his defender, but then the natural ability to swap up his moves in real-time, leaving the defender hopeless.
Kevin Durant praised Kyrie’s masterful game after the win in Charlotte,
“Younger players should watch this game and learn what it takes to score at that level as 5’10, 5’11”, for him to score that easy, I mean that was just masterclass.”
Sometimes even with perfect defense, he still finds a way to get a bucket.
Closing time?
You know who to call. pic.twitter.com/fhth84Qu2z
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 9, 2022
Check out the full game highlights here
This 50 point game and win snapped a 5 game losing streak for the Brooklyn Nets. Could this be the game that gets them back on track?
The Nets are currently the 8 seed after dealing with injuries, the James Harden trade, the Covid-19 mandate in New York affecting Kyrie’s home availability, and even more adversity as the year has gone by.
Once THE NBA Champion favorite, now fighting to make the playoffs… can the Nets make a cinderella come back and turn this team around? The lowest seed to ever win an NBA championship were the 1995 Rockets and they were a 6 seed.
There are obviously a couple of factors that could completely change the outlook of the Nets.
- If the Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate is removed and Kyrie can play in Home games.
- How Ben Simmons will look in a Nets uniform.
For one, if the mandate is removed then that greatly increases the Net’s chances of making it to the finals. You can’t go 3/7 games without your star player and expect to make it through the playoffs. That would be unbelievable if they pull that off.
And for two, Ben Simmons hasn’t played basketball in a year, so we don’t really know what we’re going to get out of him. While I do think the Ben Simmons addition is a perfect fit alongside Kyrie and KD, only time will tell. Ben Simmons will fully take on a playmaking role with this team and split point guard duties with Irving.
If everything comes together for the Brooklyn Nets, then they do have a chance at making it to the NBA finals.
There are a lot of ifs, though.
The Eastern Conference is loaded this season and it will be no easy task making it past the Heat, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics, or the Bulls…
Still hoping we get to witness that 76er/Nets playoff matchup.. please Basketball Gods allow that to happen…
