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Kyrie Irving: 2019-20 Brooklyn Nets Player Recaps

Brooklyn’s first look at Kyrie Irving as a Net was short but scintillating. Limited to 20 games by a shoulder injury that eventually required season-ending surgery, Irving essentially bookended his season with a pair of 50-point games, becoming the first player to do so twice as a Net.

Irving scored 30 points or more four times in his first 11 games, averaging 28.5 points and 7.2 assists, before being sidelined for two months following Brooklyn’s loss in Utah on Nov. 14.

He returned in January with a flourish, shooting 10-of-11 for 21 points in 20 minutes of a win over the Hawks, then putting up 32 points and 11 assists in his second game back.

After scoring 54 points against Chicago on Jan. 31, Irving played one more game, leaving the Feb. 1 game against Washington with a knee sprain and then opting for surgery on his injured shoulder.

TOP THREE GAMES

Oct. 23 vs. Timberwolves

Hello Kyrie indeed. Irving made his Nets debut memorable with 50 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 38 minutes at Barclays Center. He shot 17-of-33 overall, 7-of-14 from 3-point range, and 9-of-10 from the free throw line.

Jan. 25 at Pistons

Irving broke loose after halftime in leading the Nets to this 121-111 overtime win in Detroit, finishing with 45 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. He heated up with 17 third-quarter points, making 5-of-8 shots and 3-of-4 3-pointers, then added 12 in the fourth quarter. Irving finished up shooting 15-for-30 overall, 5-for-12 from 3-point range and 10-for-10 from the line.

Jan. 31 vs. Bulls

In his next-to-last game of the season, Irving left Nets fans with an epic show, scoring 54 points, three shy of his career high as well as the franchise’s NBA single-game record. It was, however, a Barclays Center record. He was perfect in the first half, making all 10 of his shots — including four 3-pointers — and three free throws, capping it off with a steal and a 30-foot 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. Irving went on to shoot 19-of-23, 7-of-9 from 3-point range, and 9-of-10 from the free throw line with five assists and five rebounds in a 133-118 Nets win. His 82.6 field goal percentage was the highest in a 50-point game since Michael Jordan shot 82.8 on 52 points in 1988.

BY THE NUMBERS

27.4

Irving scored at a career-high rate over his 20 games. His best-scoring full season was 25.2 points while with Cleveland in 2016-17.

92.2

Irving shot a career-high percentage from the free throw line, while also averaging career highs in free throws attempted (5.1) and made (4.7) per game.

32.6

Irving’s usage rate was also a career high and would have ranked ninth in the NBA over a full season.

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