Kyrie Irving

[Chris]

That video had to have been made before the latest Spurs game

Edit: Nope it was made a week after. Wow

Yeah, I gotta say, the double defended three pointer to tie the game and take it to OT has to be in his top 10.

 

[Ohio]

Speaking of the Spurs game, just got notified from Nike that the Kyrie 1's I customized (using the colorway from that game) just shipped. Woo.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I think the best part about that Toronto game winner is the coach in the background who just flips out.

I think the best part is when Austin Carr says Kyrie is able to leap strong buildings in a single bound.

 

[spydy13]

Nope it was made a week after. Wow

Yeah, they done fucked up.

 

[kookoo]

Man... Kyrie doesn't just put English on the ball. He puts French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, ect. Dude is ridiculous under the rim.

 

[godfather]

No LeBron this season means we suck again. It's that simple. Kyrie is going to be a heck of a complementary star. He already is. He fits perfectly with what we're trying to do here. But at the end of the day, that's because of LeBron James. LeBron James is the primary ball handler on this team, and that is why a shoot-first PG who can fill it up actually works out amazingly for the Cavaliers.

I don't know how else to put it. If you think it's just mere coincidence that everything fell into place for Kyrie and the Cavs when LeBron showed up, I dunno what else to say.

You're making it sound like LeBron is the only reason we're so good. I am trying to point out to you that yes, obviously LeBron coming here makes a huge difference. But he didn't align himself with the shit we've been shoveling the last 4 years, he align himself with Kyrie Irving, and then Kevin Love. Two all-stars. Wow, we're suddenly good, who would have thunk that?

To think it's all because of LeBron James, that Kyrie Irving is now relevant because of him, is being very short-sided. You must have a pretty short memory if that's how you feel.

I remember this team flat out sucking, really bad, and Kyrie bringing us back to win games we had no business winning at all. We didn't win much, why the hell should we have? But this guy was clearly a star erupting on the scenes, and was given as little as you can possibly give a great up and coming player. He was voted an NBA all-star starter for a reason, even though the lack of national coverage we got. Anyone with eyes could see what a special talent he is.

Was Dwyane Wade irrelevant before LeBron? Think about it. We've suddenly went from a bottom feeder, to a championship contender. LeBron is a large and main reason why, no denying that, the difference he makes to team is obviously pretty significant, but that's not all him. He's had virtually no impact in what Kyrie is doing. Kyrie is being Kyrie, simple as that. Just like Wade was being Wade, when he teamed up with him.

I don't know how bad or good we'd have been if he never came here. Wiggins is looking pretty good, and maybe we'd have made other trades to bring some solid pieces to make us at least a playoff team.

The point I was trying to make, this is an entirely different team, period. LeBron was not the only change we made. We overhauled the entire roster. Who the hell is left from last year? Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, that's it.

Unless you're trying to tell me Kyrie was the problem, comparing to what we were, to what we are now is a lot different, outside of just LeBron himself being here too.

He didn't have anything close to resembling the team he has now that he had the last 3 years. From coaching staff, to veterans, to talent, to hell, just about anything good period.

Where would Kyrie be if lebron hadnt returned? I know you guys are so quick to take credit....but its not really fair. Especially with how awful this team looked to start the year when kyrie wasnt buying in.

Personally, we are lucky as fuck james returned. Jmo.

Wait a sec, wasn't this the same team LeBron James was a part of? The same team where there were questions of whether LeBron was buying in? Him trying to get Blatt fired? Fans and media members accusing him of not even trying, and flat out not giving a fuck? But you're going to just call Kyrie out?

So Kyrie get's all the blame, none on LeBron. Got it.

 

[enigmatic]

Yeah, they done fucked up.

To be fair, there were probably 3-4 plays in both the Blazers and Spurs games that could have been included in that top 10.

That walk-up dagger 3 against the Raptors will always be my favorite though. That's when I really knew he could be an Elite player in this league.

 

[Chris]

You're making it sound like LeBron is the only reason we're so good. I am trying to point out to you that yes, obviously LeBron coming here makes a huge difference. But he didn't align himself with the shit we've been shoveling the last 4 years, he align himself with Kyrie Irving, and then Kevin Love. Two all-stars. Wow, we're suddenly good, who would have thunk that?

To think it's all because of LeBron James, that Kyrie Irving is now relevant because of him, is being very short-sided. You must have a pretty short memory if that's how you feel.

I remember this team flat out sucking, really bad, and Kyrie bringing us back to win games we had no business winning at all. We didn't win much, why the hell should we have? But this guy was clearly a star erupting on the scenes, and was given as little as you can possibly give a great up and coming player. He was voted an NBA all-star starter for a reason, even though the lack of national coverage we got. Anyone with eyes could see what a special talent he is.

Was Dwyane Wade irrelevant before LeBron? Think about it. We've suddenly went from a bottom feeder, to a championship contender. LeBron is a large and main reason why, no denying that, the difference he makes to team is obviously pretty significant, but that's not all him. He's had virtually no impact in what Kyrie is doing. Kyrie is being Kyrie, simple as that. Just like Wade was being Wade, when he teamed up with him.

I don't know how bad or good we'd have been if he never came here. Wiggins is looking pretty good, and maybe we'd have made other trades to bring some solid pieces to make us at least a playoff team.

The point I was trying to make, this is an entirely different team, period. LeBron was not the only change we made. We overhauled the entire roster. Who the hell is left from last year? Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, that's it.

Unless you're trying to tell me Kyrie was the problem, comparing to what we were, to what we are now is a lot different, outside of just LeBron himself being here too.

He didn't have anything close to resembling the team he has now that he had the last 3 years. From coaching staff, to veterans, to talent, to hell, just about anything good period.

I don't deal in absolutes. No need to write a book, bro. It's pretty simple: LeBron gets the vast majority of the credit for this team. Without him, what comes together? Kyrie, Wiggins, Waiters? Might win 30-35 games...maybe. Instead we have Kyrie, Love, and LeBron. You can dole out some credit to Chris Grant, David Griffin, and Dan Gilbert if it makes you feel better.

Not trying to shit on the guy, he's developing nicely. But I find the, "Haha, I told you so!!!" attitude from the people defending Irving from very fair and just criticism last year to be beyond hysterical. As if the team, and Irving's reputation, would be where it is now had LeBron not come here. There is just nothing to support that it would have based on last season. Irving put up decent stats last year, but without James transforming this team, he would just be another shoot first PG with nice scoring numbers and low assist totals on a horrible Eastern Conference team toiling in irrelevance this year. Maybe some people have forgotten how the season started, even with LeBron on this team, and Irving going entire games without an assist. I haven't forgotten.

LeBron is da real MVP.

 

[LBJfan23]

I'm so glad I stuck up for Kyrie in here the way I did last spring/summer when everyone was bashing the kid. This thread was loaded with idiots, people saying trade him, saying Waiters is the better player (Yes, people actually gave the idea of building around Waiters instead), saying Kyrie doesn't deserve max money and saying he wasn't a winner. People asked why I was backing up Kyrie so hard, this is why...

This kid has turned into a superstar at the age of 23 and is the perfect complement to LBJ now as he ages. Oh, and he's still going to get better and understand the game better. Ky can carry the load when need be, any day, any time. I've always had confidence in Kyrie turning into a superstar, this kids talent is something rarely seen and his defense has improved with his effort. It's hard to look good when you're playing with jackass teammates and a dysfunctional (at the time) organization. Kyrie loves Cleveland, he's always said that and he shows it, he seems like a relatively clean and nice kid. We couldn't have better faces for this franchise than LeBron, Kyrie and K Love, all good dudes. Once Kyrie learns the game a bit more and gets this playoff experience, I expect him to become a progressively better passer and average 8 assists a game in his prime and he will be an MVP candidate. Right now he is being primed by LeBron James, the best player in the world, can't wait to see the monster LeBron created when LeBron sort of hands the reigns to Kyrie as LBJ gets older. That is why I stuck up for Kyrie last spring/summer while everyone else was bashing him.

I kind of see a TIm Duncan(Lebron) Tony Parker(Kyrie Irving) kind of relationship as Lebron gets older

 

[LBJfan23]

I don't deal in absolutes. No need to write a book, bro. It's pretty simple: LeBron gets the vast majority of the credit for this team. Without him, what comes together? Kyrie, Wiggins, Waiters? Might win 30-35 games...maybe. Instead we have Kyrie, Love, and LeBron. You can dole out some credit to Chris Grant, David Griffin, and Dan Gilbert if it makes you feel better.

Not trying to shit on the guy, he's developing nicely. But I find the, "Haha, I told you so!!!" attitude from the people defending Irving from very fair and just criticism last year to be beyond hysterical. As if the team, and Irving's reputation, would be where it is now had LeBron not come here. There is just nothing to support that it would have based on last season. Irving put up decent stats last year, but without James transforming this team, he would just be another shoot first PG with nice scoring numbers and low assist totals on a horrible Eastern Conference team toiling in irrelevance this year. Maybe some people have forgotten how the season started, even with LeBron on this team, and Irving going entire games without an assist. I haven't forgotten.

LeBron is da real MVP.

Take into account that Lebron attracts the best wing defender of the opposing team....and kyrie sees way less double teams due to Lebron there as well...which is what makes the cavs more dangerous imo....

 

[Toph]

I'm so glad I stuck up for Kyrie in here the way I did last spring/summer when everyone was bashing the kid. This thread was loaded with idiots, people saying trade him, saying Waiters is the better player (Yes, people actually gave the idea of building around Waiters instead), saying Kyrie doesn't deserve max money and saying he wasn't a winner. People asked why I was backing up Kyrie so hard, this is why...

This kid has turned into a superstar at the age of 23 and is the perfect complement to LBJ now as he ages. Oh, and he's still going to get better and understand the game better. Ky can carry the load when need be, any day, any time. I've always had confidence in Kyrie turning into a superstar, this kids talent is something rarely seen and his defense has improved with his effort. It's hard to look good when you're playing with jackass teammates and a dysfunctional (at the time) organization. Kyrie loves Cleveland, he's always said that and he shows it, he seems like a relatively clean and nice kid. We couldn't have better faces for this franchise than LeBron, Kyrie and K Love, all good dudes. Once Kyrie learns the game a bit more and gets this playoff experience, I expect him to become a progressively better passer and average 8 assists a game in his prime and he will be an MVP candidate. Right now he is being primed by LeBron James, the best player in the world, can't wait to see the monster LeBron created when LeBron sort of hands the reigns to Kyrie as LBJ gets older. That is why I stuck up for Kyrie last spring/summer while everyone else was bashing him.

The best part was when @Randolphkeys changed the name of the thread proposing we trade Kyrie last year. Looking back, I can't believe that was ever a real discussion. Wow.

 

[Simmy]

Speaking of the Spurs game, just got notified from Nike that the Kyrie 1's I customized (using the colorway from that game) just shipped. Woo.

Man! You got the navy/wine/gold colorway? Share them with the board when they arrive if you can - very keen to see how they look out of the box.

I just got sucked into coughing up $250 Australian dollars online for the BHM release because I was stupid enough not to pay $120 US dollars when I was sitting down with a pair of them already on my feet at a Foot Locker in New York.

 

[Ohio]

Man! You got the navy/wine/gold colorway? Share them with the board when they arrive if you can - very keen to see how they look out of the box.

I just got sucked into coughing up $250 Australian dollars online for the BHM release because I was stupid enough not to pay $120 US dollars when I was sitting down with a pair of them already on my feet at a Foot Locker in New York.

Will do.

 

[Jon]

But Kyrie's rookie year was one of the best in the history of the NBA... I think this context is most accurate.

This is why context is important. My comment wasn't made at the end of the season, it was made early on in the season when some of our fans got carried away with what Kyrie was doing and started pondering if he was a top-5 PG.

At that point in the season, he was shooting very well, but not finishing inside well, he couldn't run the team, and certainly not defending well.

Kyrie brings a lot more to the table now than he did then, but he still has a long way to go to understand how to run a team and make the players around him better. Kyrie took a lot of flak in the Bynum days ... and it was justified!!! ... because he didn't know how to post-up a big man. He's still not very good at it, but at least he's improving now that there are some vets on the team to show him how.

Offensively as a PG, Kyrie is below average ... as a SG he's well above average. Maybe one day he'll prove otherwise, but James will likely have to give up the reigns again. Kyrie could demonstrate he could lead the team when James is out, but obviously the team is missing a lot more than just playmaking when James is out, and at this point the evidence is primarily negative.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Yeah, I gotta say, the double defended three pointer to tie the game and take it to OT has to be in his top 10.

I think it's the best play of his career. Might even be his defining moment. Or at least the start of the defining era of his career