Brooklyn Nets fans are extremely excited as tonight marks the long-awaited return of Kyrie Irving to the lineup. Due to his vaccination status, Kyrie will only be able to play away games throughout the second half of the season, however, the Nets are perfectly fine with this predicament. They understand that COVID has ravaged their roster and they would rather have as many bodies available as possible, just in case anything dramatic happens.
With Irving playing his first game of the season against the Indiana Pacers, many are curious as to what Irving's role will be tonight. There have been questions as to whether or not he will get to start tonight's game, and there are others who aren't so sure he'll actually get a lot of minutes.
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According to reporter Alex Schiffer, Nets head coach Steve Nash addressed the media today where he spoke about Kyrie's status. For now, the team is unsure whether or not he'll start, however, they can safely say that he won't come close to 38 minutes. At this juncture, the team is confident in giving him significant minutes down the stretch, but they are still easing him back into the game.
Regardless of what Kyrie's role will be, his inclusion in the lineup will certainly stir up headlines and debate. The point guard is a controversial figure, and the expectations will be high even if he hasn't played since the playoffs of last year.