'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Kyrie Irving demanded a trade out of the Cleveland Cavaliers heading into the 2017-18 season. Four seasons later, that decision still rankles among several Cavs fans who felt Irving betrayed them. Many have turned their adoring chants to stinging heckles every time they see the ultra-talented point guard play against their beloved Cavaliers.
The Brooklyn Nets superstar was playing his fourth game of the season after being reinstated by the team to play on the road. Kyrie Irving was on familiar ground but in front of a now-hostile crowd. Several courtside fans were jeering at him to no end, which prompted a rather nasty reply:
“Got y’all a championship, and you motherf****rs still ungrateful.”
The championship Kyrie Irving was referring to was the one that he and LeBron James delivered to the city of Cleveland in the 2015-16 season. The NBA title came at the expense of the 73-9 Golden State Warriors, who lost a 3-1 series lead to the Cavaliers. Irving’s three-point shot with 53 seconds left in the game remains one of the most iconic shots in league history.
Soon after Irving left, LeBron James followed out the door. James, an Akron, Ohio native, bolted for the LA Lakers where he soon brought another crown to one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. While many Cavs fans have forgiven the four-time MVP, Irving’s situation is another matter.
Heard in the heckling was the sound of one fan asking Kyrie Irving if he needed "LeBron.” The Brooklyn Nets were playing their first game following Kevin Durant’s knee injury. As good as the 7x All-Star played, the Nets could not hold off the Cavaliers. Brooklyn clearly missed KD’s end-game dominance, which was part of the reason for the taunting.
Are Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets still title contenders despite Kevin Durant’s injury?
The Brooklyn Nets have no definite timetable for Kevin Durant’s return. He will be re-evaluated in a few weeks and the team will be in no rush to bring him back, knowing his gruesome injury history. Without him, Brooklyn will have to rely on the James Harden and Kyrie Irving combo on the road and “The Beard” only on home games.
There is some semblance of good news, however. The Brooklyn Nets, after the loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, will have 39 games remaining for the season. 21 of the 39 games will be played away from Barclays Center, which will allow the former Cavs star to help James Harden carry the team in Durant’s absence.
So, despite the current situation, there’s plenty of reason why the Brooklyn Nets should be a shoo-in to make the playoffs without going through the play-in tournament. The 39 remaining games on the schedule also assure Kevin Durant of all the time he needs to get back to his MVP level conditioning and performance.
As long as they can get their Big 3 available, at least in road games, the Brooklyn Nets are bonafide title hopefuls.
Guess the Lakers players!
