Kyrie Irving's Top Career Performances

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Now that Kyrie Irving is officially a member of the Boston Celtics, it’s time for you fans to get a taste of what the four-time All-Star is capable of bringing to the table. We’ve compiled a list of the 25-year-old point guard’s top performances from his previous six seasons in Cleveland.

Celtics fans are all too familiar with Kyrie Irving’s postseason prowess – especially after his pivotal, series-altering performance during Game 4 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals. Irving’s Cavaliers dug themselves into an early hole as they allowed Boston to jump out to a 16-point first-half lead. To make matters worse, LeBron James was forced to sit on the sideline for a large portion of the second quarter due to foul trouble, which gave the Celtics a prime opportunity to tie the series 2-2. Irving, however, had other plans. With James on the bench, it was his time to shine, and he seized the moment by producing a playoff career-high 42-point performance. The young point guard lit up the Celtics for 21 points during the third quarter alone, as he spearheaded a 112-99 comeback win. He shot 15-of-22 from the field, including a 4-of-7 performance from 3-point range, to go along with four assists and three rebounds. Irving’s effort allowed Cleveland to regain momentum in the series, which it wrapped up two nights later in Boston. The Celtics struggled to contain Irving the whole series, as he averaged 25.9 points per contest during the five-game stretch. Fortunately, that won’t be a problem in postseasons to come now that he’s wearing green.

Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals was by no means one of Irving’s greatest statistical performances, but it contained the most defining moment of his career to date. For that reason, it deserves a spot on this list. Cleveland’s series-deciding matchup with the Golden State Warriors was one of the most intense Game 7s of all time, as the two teams traded leads all the way until the final minute of regulation. Rather than turn to its king, LeBron James, with the championship on the line, Cleveland put the ball in the hands of its young point guard. The game was tied 89-89 with less than a minute remaining when Irving went face-to-face with his two-time MVP counterpart, Stephen Curry. Irving dribbled back and forth between his legs, stepped sideways to the right, rose up and drained a 25-foot 3-point jumper to put Cleveland up by three points. That shot turned out to be the title-winner, and was regarded as “the biggest shot in NBA history” by the Wall Street Journal. Not bad for a 24-year-old kid.

Irving is not shy when it comes to showing off his shooting range. There is no better example of that than Jan. 28, 2015, when he came within striking distance of the league’s single-game 3-point record. Irving canned 11 triples against the Portland Trail Blazers, which established a Cavaliers franchise record and was just one shy of the then-NBA record that was shared by Kobe Bryant and Donyell Marshall. (Curry broke the record during the 2016-17 season when he hit 13 3-pointers in a single game.) Irving also made six shots from two-point range and went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line during 39 minuets of play. He finished with 55 points, which accounted for more than half of Cleveland’s scoring during its 99-94 win. Irving became just the 10th player on record to score at least 55 points in a game while playing fewer than 40 minutes.

As we mentioned above, Irving’s 2016 Finals heroics occurred during Game 7. His most monumental performance of the series, however, occurred six days earlier. Cleveland faced a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 lead against the Warriors, and faced the daunting task of attempting to avoid elimination at the hostile Oracle Arena in Oakland. Not only did the Cavs end up prevailing in Game 5, but they did so in convincing fashion, largely thanks to a 41-point effort from its point guard. Irving shot 17-of-24 from the field, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, as he helped lead Cleveland to a 112-97 win on the road. His effort played a major role in sparking an incredible series comeback, as the Cavs went on to win Game 6 and 7 to capture their first NBA title.

You may be asking yourself, “How could any effort possibly top Irving’s 2016 NBA Finals masterpiece?” Well, there is one effort that sits above all others on this top performances list, and no effort of his has surpassed it. On March 12, 2015 Irving took the floor against the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and delivered the best scoring performance in Cavaliers history. He shot 20-of-32 from the field, while connecting at a perfect rate from 3-point range (7-of-7) and from the free-throw line (10-of-10) for a franchise-record 57 points. Yes, a franchise record – meaning that not even King James himself has ever reached that plateau while playing in a Cleveland uniform. Irving added five assists, three rebounds and four steals, while turning the ball over just twice during the effort, as he guided the Cavs to an epic, 128-125 overtime win. Not only did Irving score at a high volume against the Spurs; he also hit buckets in a timely fashion. He canned a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation, and then proceeded to score Cleveland’s first seven points during OT to cap off the best performance of his career.