NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 30: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center on December 30, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets won 145-141. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Kyrie Irving was out Thursday and may be out indefinitely due to personal reasons.
The Brooklyn Nets are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA this season due to the dynamic duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Neither played in Thursday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Durant is out because of COVID-19 protocols, so Irving was the surprise absence. The report before the game was that he called off for personal reasons, and head coach Steve Nash did not have any insight on the situation.
Kyrie may be out even longer
The Athletic’s Joe Vardon learned that Irving may be out for an extended period of time.
There is already plenty of speculation on social media, but we will avoid doing any of that here. Irving is a grown adult and missing a game for personal reasons, especially given recent national events, is not something to poke fun at or create theories about.
The Nets were able to pull off a 122-109 victory without both of their stars. Joe Harris led the way with 28 points off the bench, and five players finished with double figures in scoring.
Steve Nash was brought in specifically to manage the big personalities on this Nets roster. Irving calling off work right before a game may cause major drama on other NBA teams. For the Nets, Nash supported his player when speaking with the media and went out and picked up a victory.
Irving has looked great when he has been on the floor this season. He is averaging 27.1 points per game, trailing only Durant for the team lead. The point guard is also averaging over six assists per game in his seven total appearances.
The Nets are obviously a better team with Irving on the floor. But they also want him in the right headspace, and taking some time for himself early in the regular season isn’t going to cause mass chaos in Brooklyn.