Steve Nash Reveals Plans for Kyrie Irving as He Makes His NBA Season Debut
Irving scored 22 points in his first game back.
Kyrie Irving recently made his NBA season debut with Brooklyn Nets, and while New York City regulations has banned the non-vaccinated guard from playing in the city, he is still able to represent his team at away games.
Coach Steve Nash recently commented on his plan for Irving as he rejoins the team. Nash confirmed that he may not be starting Irving but he will be a prominent player in the team, “I don’t think it’s where he can play 38 [minutes]. But I think he can play a big chunk of the game. He’s played a lot — he’s had three or four full court days with the 5-on-5, so I think he’s capable of playing extended minutes, but not necessarily his customary high 30s.”
Irving is able to practice in New York arenas but is not allowed to play. He is also unable to play in Toronto after Canada announced a ban on all unvaccinated visitors. After making his debut on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers, Irving showed he still has it, locking in 22 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes.
Earlier this week, Nash gave media an update on how Irving was playing with the team at practice. Nash said, “He looks like himself. Not a big surprise watching him play in practice — he’s so gifted and talented and you could see the rhythm was there, but it’s still an adaptation so we got to give him some space here as he transitions back to playing, but tonight he was big.”
In case you missed it, Russell Westbrook is developing a documentary on Black basketball athletes before the NBA.
