Kyrie Irving

[bobcat22]

I don't know why you guys are all pissed at Walter White. Wes Matthews has no chance. Remember, he has to shoot his bow and arrow after every made 3. No way he gets through the whole competition in time.

 

[RedBlackAttack]

Yeah, probably wouldn't have watched if Kyrie wasn't participating. In other news, Kyrie finished with a 24/5/5 tonight, with 12 of those points coming in his huge fourth quarter.

Some of the finishes he had through traffic tonight were just... remarkable. At this point it's a fact: he really is the most creative scorer around the basket in the entire NBA. That reverse finger-roll and those pull up bank shots were another few in a long line of high level of difficulty shots that Kyrie makes look easy. Just another day at the office for the 22-year-old three-time All-Star.

It's too bad they don't have a layup contest along with the dunk contest, because Kyrie would be like a late-90s Vince Carter in it. The finishes that he consistently makes look routine he is one of a handful of people in the world who could even legally attempt those kinds of moves with NBA defenders around them. And, he makes them at a rate (60.2%) of good scoring big men. Zach Randolph, for example, made 56.9% at the rim last season.

I remarked to a friend tonight while watching the game... I think he's the most creative below the rim scorer I have ever seen at his size. Other guys have done it with brute strength, crazy leaping ability or flat-out speed, but the amount of finesse he uses is truly remarkable. His hangtime is also an underrated aspect of his game that is rarely talked about, but often on display. People get so focused on his artistry with the ball, they don't realize he has been floating toward the rim for a pretty ridiculous amount of time.

His game is aesthetically beautiful. I listened to Simmons Podcast last week where they gave their All-Star selections. Granted, this was before Kyrie's 38/55 point games, back-to-back, but they were discussing his overall game. Simmons made some snide comments about how he doesn't like Kyrie's game. Lowe actually agreed.

I hold Lowe in pretty high regard when it comes to analyzing the game, so I was surprised to hear that. It's hard to imagine not enjoying watching this guy play. :shrug:

 

[RedBlackAttack]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZn29Quc1I

 

[bleedwineandgold03]

Im starting to feel kyrie is flourishing into a superstar his defense is just ridiculous hes playing through the offense and hes showing leadership out there besides lebron of course, as a 22 year old hes surpassing all expectations. Hes becoming a great all around player

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

He's just such a great for next to LeBron. He's an elite shooter with an elite first step and elite finishing abilities. The total package as a scorer besides LBJ. Best year of his career and he's only going to get better. I think the 2016 Olympics will help vault him even further, maybe even to a possible MVP candidate some day. Kyrie has stepped up and proven himself to be a winning player this year, I'm proud of the strides he's made.

 

[oracio]

"Kyrie?! Where did he go?"
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTfJRVIQJjU#t=19

 

[CavsHomer]

I don't like to speak in extremes...but:

Has there ever been a guard with Kyrie's shooting + finishing abilities?
Because I can't name one. Normally, the NBA's best point guards are either elite at driving to the hoop (Parker, Rose, Westbrook, Wall, Bledsoe) or shooting the ball (Curry, Lillard, Nash).
Or they are good distributors and floor generals like CP3, Rubio or Rondo.

While Kyrie obviously has his deficiencies in the latter, he can score at will. It's crazy. I've never seen that before. He's elite and one of the best in the entire NBA at finishing around the rim and shooting the ball.

 

[Tlyons]

Isaiah Thomas comes to mind.

 

[Pioneer10]

His game is aesthetically beautiful. I listened to Simmons Podcast last week where they gave their All-Star selections. Granted, this was before Kyrie's 38/55 point games, back-to-back, but they were discussing his overall game. Simmons made some snide comments about how he doesn't like Kyrie's game. Lowe actually agreed.

I hold Lowe in pretty high regard when it comes to analyzing the game, so I was surprised to hear that. It's hard to imagine not enjoying watching this guy play. :shrug:

Why is this hard to imagine? Kyrie is an extremely gifted scorer. He's the most skilled player at his age that I've frankly ever seen in terms of scoring ability (shooting, dribbling, finishing, even post-ups) but he's not a traditional PG and he often foregoes making passes to open players. Statistically this may even be the right play because as he's an efficient scorer but aesthetically he's not my favorite player either.

It's part of why even a lot of haters like Lebron's game: even when he plays LeIso he's got a different mentality and will often to his critics overpass.

 

[CavsHomer]

Isaiah Thomas comes to mind.

The "old" Isaiah Thomas? He actually was a bad 3 point and mediocre free throw shooter.

And while the Kings' Isaiah Thomas is a solid point guard, I wouldn't call his shooting and finishing abilities elite, tbh.

 

[CosmoKramer]

I don't like to speak in extremes...but:

Has there ever been a guard with Kyrie's shooting + finishing abilities?
Because I can't name one. Normally, the NBA's best point guards are either elite at driving to the hoop (Parker, Rose, Westbrook, Wall, Bledsoe) or shooting the ball (Curry, Lillard, Nash).
Or they are good distributors and floor generals like CP3, Rubio or Rondo.

While Kyrie obviously has his deficiencies in the latter, he can score at will. It's crazy. I've never seen that before. He's elite and one of the best in the entire NBA at finishing around the rim and shooting the ball.

You already did, CP3.

It's unfair to lump Chris Paul into a group with Rubio and Rondo as strictly a good distributor or floor general, he's consistently been one of the highest scoring point guards since he's entered the league. It's way too easy to forget Chris Paul was averaging 20+ points a game when he was Kyrie's age while also leading the league in assists and steals.

I'd say Kyrie's already a better 3pt shooter than Paul ever was, but Paul's always had a much better midrange game and he's currently on a remarkable stretch of eight consecutive seasons of hitting over 60% of his shots in the restricted area. So yeah, we've seen a point guard with Kyrie's shooting + finishing abilities, and he's halfway through a Hall-of-Fame career.

 

[CavsHomer]

You already did, CP3.

It's unfair to lump Chris Paul into a group with Rubio and Rondo as strictly a good distributor or floor general, he's consistently been one of the highest scoring point guards since he's entered the league. It's way too easy to forget Chris Paul was averaging 20+ points a game when he was Kyrie's age while also leading the league in assists and steals.

I'd say Kyrie's already a better 3pt shooter than Paul ever was, but Paul's always had a much better midrange game and he's currently on a remarkable stretch of eight consecutive seasons of hitting over 60% of his shots in the restricted area. So yeah, we've seen a point guard with Kyrie's shooting + finishing abilities, and he's halfway through a Hall-of-Fame career.

Chris Paul certainly is more than just a good floor general, no question. But I don't know about his shooting. He has a fantastic midrange game.
But is he really the kind of player you call an elite shooter? I don't think so.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Chris Paul certainly is more than just a good floor general, no question. But I don't know about his shooting. He has a fantastic midrange game.
But is he really the kind of player you call an elite shooter? I don't think so.

Why not?

He's a good 3-point shooter (hitting 39.5% from deep this season), he's got the fantastic midrange game we've mentioned (career 46% shooter from 10-16 ft, 45% on long 2's - that's near Dirk Nowitzki-levels), and he's always been an elite free throw shooter (career 85.6%).

The case can be made that Paul is also the best pull-up jump shooter in the NBA right now- he's the league leader in total points off pull-ups by a whopping 88 points over second-place Steph Curry (363). He's also deadly efficient on the shot- take a look at the list of eFG% leaders on pullups this year:

1. Kevin Durant - 55.2%
2. Steph Curry - 55.0%
3. Klay Thompson - 52.7%
4. Chris Paul - 51.2%
5. Kyrie Irving - 49.2%
6. James Harden - 48.6%


... still want to say CP3 isn't an elite shooter?

 

[KilgoreTrout]

It's too bad they don't have a layup contest along with the dunk contest, because Kyrie would be like a late-90s Vince Carter in it. The finishes that he consistently makes look routine he is one of a handful of people in the world who could even legally attempt those kinds of moves with NBA defenders around them. And, he makes them at a rate (60.2%) of good scoring big men. Zach Randolph, for example, made 56.9% at the rim last season.

I remarked to a friend tonight while watching the game... I think he's the most creative below the rim scorer I have ever seen at his size. Other guys have done it with brute strength, crazy leaping ability or flat-out speed, but the amount of finesse he uses is truly remarkable. His hangtime is also an underrated aspect of his game that is rarely talked about, but often on display. People get so focused on his artistry with the ball, they don't realize he has been floating toward the rim for a pretty ridiculous amount of time.

His game is aesthetically beautiful. I listened to Simmons Podcast last week where they gave their All-Star selections. Granted, this was before Kyrie's 38/55 point games, back-to-back, but they were discussing his overall game. Simmons made some snide comments about how he doesn't like Kyrie's game. Lowe actually agreed.

I hold Lowe in pretty high regard when it comes to analyzing the game, so I was surprised to hear that. It's hard to imagine not enjoying watching this guy play. :shrug:

Better than Waiters? He never gets AND ONE! AYEEEEEE!

 

[KilgoreTrout]

I still chafe at the suggestion that Kyrie is the best point guard in Cavs history. Is everyone in here, like, TWELVE? Did no one in here ever watch Butch Beard play? Foots Walker? Ok, fine. At least a FEW people in here have to have been alive in the mid-eighties, able to witness the rare combination of playmaking abilities, capacity to score from anywhere on the court, and tenacious defending that was Jon "The Bagman" Bagley.

I get it - people have short memories. When you have to choose between Kyrie, Mo Williams, and Eric Snow, Kyrie wins. But the Cavs have a long and illustrious history - especially at the point guard position. Lucky for you all, I am here to serve as Board Historian!