The Brooklyn Nets have started the new year in unideal circumstances. While they have brought Kyrie Irving back from his vaccine mandate suspension and allowed him to play road games, they have gone 2-4 since 2022 began.
Last night, during a loss to the shorthanded Portland Trailblazers, a game where Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were missing for Portland and James Harden was missing for the Nets, Kyrie Irving almost suffered a rough injury mid-way through the fourth quarter.
While running after a loose ball, Portland's Nassir Little dove for the ball near Irving's feet, tripping him up. Kyrie got up but walked off with a limp. Although he would return to the game, Irving spoke afterward about the danger of that play by Nassir: "Just one of those bad plays, you know. I tried to get out of the way, but I just thought that was just, it was unnecessary for him to dive that far away from the ball. I was just trying to get out of the way."
Kyrie continued about his frustration about the play that could've hurt him in his second game of the year: “I asked the ref, you know he’s got to protect players out there, just totally unnecessary, I get Nassir wants to go for the ball, but just a bad play, it’s all good. I could’ve broke my ankle or done something worse. There’s just no place in our game for it. I get the intent from Nassir… but it could’ve been avoided.”
Little soon caught wind of this response by Kyrie, and took to Twitter to explaing his side of the story, and showed little remorse about the incident: “I would never hurt someone on purpose, I have the utmost respect for Kyrie! But y’all are delusional if you think this is a bad play, and id do it again. Idgaf what y’all talkin about.”
Who you agree with, Kyrie or Nassir?