Kyrie Irving compiled 45 points on the night against Luka Doncic and co. But he blew possibly his easiest scoring chance of the night in clutch.
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The Brooklyn Nets are floundering at the end of this season. They’ve now lost 3 of their last 4 games, including 2 against possible Conference Semifinals opponents Milwaukee.
The absence of James Harden has affected their role players’ form, making KD and Kyrie hunt and work more for their shots. Rick Carlisle decided to control the scoring of Kevin Durant and let Kyrie have a one-on-one game.
Irving took full advantage of the situation, hoisting 31 shots and making 17 of them. He also made all 4 of his free throws and 7 3-pointers to keep the Nets within touching range all game long.
Kyrie Irving blows the open bunny layup
It’s one thing to miss a layup while being contested by a 7-footer, but quite another to airball it when there’s nobody home. Kyrie Irving is the NBA’s pastmaster of circus layup finishes, so it was all the more baffling when he missed this one.
what are the odds that kyrie can airball a layup? pic.twitter.com/ya04t5BWaZ
— 乔治 (@georgefrvr) May 7, 2021
You can see how he takes Dorian Finney-Smith completely out of the play with his hesi moves on the drive. But perhaps he was waiting for some contact that never came after he went up, throwing him off his finish.
Either way, this play gave the Mavs a reprieve that allowed them to take the W. NBA fans across teams were stunned to see Uncle Drew miss what would have been yet another addition to his list of clutch plays.
Naturally, the reaction to this was exaggerated.
KYRIE IRVING JUST AIRBALLED A WIDE OPEN FINGER ROLL LAYUP. I truly have seen it all.
— Panda Hank (Nate Hinton Fan Account) (@pandahank41) May 7, 2021
The flat earth jokes broke out in full glory too.
Simple miscalculation. Forgot to account for the earth’s rotation.
— Phil Murphy (@Phil_Sports) May 7, 2021
Couldn’t 🖕🏾up the spread -6
— Don’t Follow Me {DFM} (@__GhostB) May 7, 2021
i think the space jam aliens took his talents
— Lames Jebroni (Vic S) $doge (@victoriousBEYEG) May 7, 2021
When a player with lockdown defender badge on HOF is near you smh
— Roosie Westbrook (@MutateRoos) May 7, 2021
ramadan whooping his ass
— Kev (@KevDigital_) May 7, 2021
“One thing I’ve always been comfortable with is, I’ve felt like I was the best option on every team I’ve played for down the stretch. This is the first time in my career where I can be like “that motherf***** can make that shot, too.”
— Ryan Rueda (@iDude14) May 7, 2021
A ton of people sprung to his defense too.
Oh yeah but y’all won’t post him carrying for the past 6-8 minutes
— Kyrie/Wolves Fan (@FNPeppy) May 7, 2021
Kyrie Irving played a great game. He made some amazing shots.
— Nufocus (@NufocusfromBham) May 7, 2021
He had 45, relax
— ENDSARSNOW🇳🇬 (@LEYKAAAOG) May 7, 2021
Pretty much the stock reactions you’d expect for a play of this magnitude. The comments would be 10 times worse if this was a consequential game.
