All eyes were on the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night – and not just because of their scheduled game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
After an eight-game suspension, Kyrie Irving was set to return to the court and play with his team again.
The last few weeks have been wild and challenging – and at times promising – for the team.
And now that Irving is back, they can again focus their attention on playing a good game and winning when it matters most.
After a big ovation when he was announced last before the game, another one for Kyrie Irving when he makes his first shot, a wing 3-pointer, less than two minutes into the first quarter.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 21, 2022
There were some people who weren’t sure how Irving would be accepted by the team and the fans in the stands.
You wouldn’t blame anyone for feeling burnt out on Irving.
But when he came to the game, he was met with a big ovation from the crowd and then got more raucous applause later when he made his first shot, a three-pointer from the wing.
Irving is back with the Nets – and it sounds like fans are happy about that.
Irving In Fine Form
Despite not playing for a couple of weeks, Irving was back and ready to play as if he never missed a moment with his squad.
He totaled 14 points and 5 rebounds during his 26 minutes on the floor.
As for the Nets, they took down the Grizzlies, 127-115, which means they have now won two in a row.
Irving was on his best behavior too, refusing to talk about the scandal that got him into hot water, instead focusing on playing well for his team.
They will need him to keep it up.
The team was showing some promise during Irving’s absence, but they also suffered their worst loss of the year, a 153-121 drubbing at the hands of the Sacramento Kings last week.
The Nets are still a long way from being legitimately good – and they want Irving to help them get there.
