Kyrie Irving, superstar point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, has established himself as one of the greatest ball-handlers we have ever seen in the NBA. Step-back, euro-step, no-look, and a mean mug — this guy has it.
Opposing sides often formulate specific schemes to suppress Irving’s effectiveness on the floor, but they often fail. However, on Monday night in San Antonio, the Spurs held “Uncle Drew,” as Irving is affectionately known, to just eight points (4-of-13 from the field and 0-of-2 from long distance), three rebounds, and two assists in an embarrassing 103-74 defeat. Irving, who is known as a great closer, did not play in the final quarter.
After Monday’s loss, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue spoke to members of the media with regards to his team’s current level of fatigue. The second-year helmsman admitted that his guys looked tired, but he also praised Irving, dubbing him “one of the top-three point guards in the NBA.”
“I know a lot of guys are tired,” Lue said. “With LeBron (James) and Kyrie having to carry the load, Kevin (Love) and JR (Smith) being out so long, they’re pretty worn down. But that’s no excuse. A lot of other players are tired, too. When you’ve got one of the top-three point guards in the league and the best player in the world, that’s your job. You’re supposed to carry us and do what you’ve been doing.”
If we’re discussing the NBA’s top point guards of today, Irving should indeed be included in the conversation. Currently, he is averaging 25.3 points, 5.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals for the defending champion Cavaliers.
There are other great floor generals, sure. We would have to mention Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Steph Curry, John Wall, Kyle Lowry, or Kemba Walker (the list goes on). What separates Irving from the pack? His ball-handling and knack for those big moments (period). When you throw in explosive scoring capabilities and the ability to take over a game in the blink of an eye (even when James, the greatest basketball player on Earth, is on the floor), it becomes clear that Irving has earned the title.
