CLEVELAND -- There were challenges and tests that had to be overcome and passed for Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving to get back on the court in December after suffering a fractured left kneecap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals last June.
But Irving has done more than just pass the tests and overcome the challenges, as he has been a spark plug for the Cavaliers (38-14), as they ended the pre-All-Star Game portion of the schedule with a three-game winning streak and start the stretch run tonight against the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena.
“I feel like I’m in a pretty good space, mentally and physically,” Irving said. “(I’m) just doing whatever is needed to prepare for every, single game, giving myself a great opportunity to play well every, single game, but it starts with the confidence that’s instilled from my teammates and the coaching staff, just putting me in great positions, not utilizing so much energy coming off pick-and-rolls and being able to find people coming off of whether they be pin-downs or dribble handoffs or something like that, just finding the spots I’m comfortable in.”
Irving scored 29, 32, and 35 points, respectively, over his last three games and registered his first double-double of the season with the 32-point, 12-assist performance in a 120-100 win over the Sacramento Kings last Monday night.
“I think he’s there,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said when asked if Irving was all the way back from the knee injury. “I think he’s there right now. Now, his shot’s falling, his three-point shot. He’s a career 39, 40-percent three-point shooter and when he first came back, those numbers were down, but the last few games, he’s starting to make that shot now, so that makes him even more dangerous.
“The last six or seven games, Kyrie has been playing at a high level. I’m putting him in position where he can be aggressive, attacking. Like I told y’all before, when I had a chance to take over, I want Kyrie to be aggressive, push it up the floor in transition, being aggressive on pick-and-rolls and looking to score the basketball, so he’s been giving us that a lot lately.”
As of late, Irving’s mid-range and three-point shots have been on target.
In addition to being one of the NBA’s leaders in mid-range jump-shooting, Irving has knocked down 11 of his 23 three-pointers in the last three games. As a whole, Irving has converted 29 of his 66 attempts from the field during the Cavaliers’ modest winning streak.
“That was really just a product of confidence,” Irving said of his three-point success. “Me personally, I kind of just said, ‘F-that’ toward teams, people going underneath my ball screens. I took that as disrespect and just came in the gym, got extra shots up and was just trying to prove a point to myself by going out and just shooting the damn ball. It’s just shooting a three-point shot. I feel like I’m pretty decent at it. I didn’t work on it a ton, just went out there and am executing.
“Perfecting the game, perfecting my craft.”
Irving has played at such a high level in the month of February, where he has averaged 27.7 points, 6.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds and shot 55.9 percent from the field, that small forward LeBron James lamented the fact that NBA All-Star Weekend put a nine-day break in-between games for the Cavaliers.
“His ability to make shots off pick-and-rolls, mid-range and also, getting into the lane and finishing over whoever, I told him after the (Lakers) game that ‘More than anything, for him, he has to get a break because he’s in such a great groove right now,’” James said. “He’s just laser sharp right now. It’s more than just his game. It’s his focus right now that I haven’t seen from him in a long time.”
But James need not worry about the long break, as Irving worked to “continue to push, continue to push, knock down this wall, get ready for what’s ahead, what’s to come” during the hiatus.
“The last 30 games are really important for us finding our chemistry going into the playoffs,” Irving said. “We know what we want to accomplish and it starts with being professional and coming out of the All-Star break even better than we were. Obviously, there will be some rust coming out. We haven’t played in a while, but we’ll be alright. As one of the leaders of the team, it’s my job to come back in better shape and be better.”
