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Kyrie Irving has played his first game for the Brooklyn Nets this season.
He scored 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting as the Brooklyn Nets overcame a 19-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 129-121.
The match took place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Wednesday night.
Irving scored his last 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Brooklyn Nets outscored Indiana 35-20 in the final period to come away with the win.
Despite his stellar play for the Nets, much of the focus in the post-game media interaction was on Irving's COVID-19 vaccination stance.
Irving's vaccine hesitancy prevented him from playing for the Brooklyn Nets earlier and it was a topic that came under scrutiny once again on Wednesday night. When asked if he had changed his position on the vaccine after having missed so much time, Kyrie Irving explained:
"I'm just taking it one day at a time... It's not an ideal situation and I'm always praying that things get figured out and we are able to come to some collective agreement whether it be with the league, or just things that's going on, that can help ease what we are all dealing with - with COVID or the vaccine. Everybody's feeling it."
He added:
"I don't want to make it simply about me and simply about someone lessening the rules for me. I know what the consequences were, I still know what they are. But right now I'm just going to take it one day at a time and enjoy this time that I get to play with my guys. However it looks later in the season, we'll address it then."
"It felt like he's been playing all season," says James Harden on Kyrie Irving's return
The general mood among the Brooklyn Nets around Kyrie's return was a happy one. The fact that the Nets came away with a road victory after trailing for much of the game added to the overall buoyant vibe.
James Harden, who finished with 18 points, five rebounds and six assists, said that Kyrie looked comfortable on the court. Harden said about Kyrie's return:
"Man, special. It felt like he's been playing all season. He looks comfortable as usual - his pace, his rhythm - looked like Kyrie. Definitely felt good to have him on the court - our spirit, our energy is better. Yeah, it just felt really, really good."
Guess the Lakers players!
