Kyrie Irving Set to Make Season Debut

Some said his best days were behind him. Others promised he had played his last game.

Now, with the Brooklyn Nets 35 games into the season, Kyrie Irving is expected to make his season debut Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers. Head Coach Steve Nash said the star point guard likely won’t start, but rather play a good chunk of the game.

Still, Irving will only be able to participate in Nets’ road games as a result of New York’s COVID-19 policies.

Big Three

During the 2019 NBA Offseason, the Nets signed both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Then, during the 2020 NBA season, they traded for megastar James Harden. At that point, most NBA fans assumed Brooklyn had built a big three that would dominate the league for years to come.

Unfortunately, as a result of injuries and the pandemic, the three have rarely shared the court together.

With Kyrie Irving set to make his season debut tonight, thought I'd tweet out some 'Big Three' stats from last season. Why not?

So the Nets 'Big Three' played only eight regular-season games together (202 minutes). Including playoffs, 14 games, and the combined record was 11-3.

— Chris Milholen (@ChrisMilholen) January 5, 2022

Although the trio still won’t be able to play together during the team’s home games, getting Irving back for road games will certainly help the team to achieve their championship aspirations.

Offensive Impact

When healthy and on the court, Kyrie Irving is one of the most skilled players in NBA history.

https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1478797475158708224

In recent months, his absence has loomed large and the Nets have desperately missed their superstar’s offensive output.

In each of his first two seasons with the team, Irving averaged over 25 points.

Originally, Irving, Harden, and Durant were expected to ease each other’s workloads. Differently, all of the three have had to play extended minutes when the others have missed time.

Harden recently talked about the spark that Irving provides to the team.

Durant also expressed his excitement for Irving’s return.

Moving Forward

With Irving back in the fold, the Nets are poised to make a championship run. Although he will only be able to participate in road games, his impact will still be large.