National Basketball Association

Kyrie Irving makes the Nets whole, but only part of the time

Updated Jan. 6, 2022 4:35 p.m. ET

By Yaron Weitzman
FOX Sports NBA Writer

You saw what it’s supposed to look like.

There the Brooklyn Nets were late in the fourth quarter, with one former MVP dribbling the ball at the top of the key, a second former MVP curling off a pin down on the right wing, a seven-time All-Star stationed in the left corner, the defense spread past its breaking point and a fourth player rumbling down the paint for an uncontested slam.

This was just one bucket among a barrage of buckets late in Brooklyn’s 129-121 comeback victory over the Pacers on Wednesday in Indiana, but it told the whole story of these Nets. It’s what they envisioned last season when they sent everything not nailed to the floor to Houston for James Harden. It’s what they were missing through this season’s first half with Kyrie Irving watching from home.

That's due, of course, to Irving's vaccination status and New York City's vaccination mandate. After initially sending Irving home, the Nets eventually relented, deciding it's worth enduring this unprecedented experiment of rolling out one lineup on the road and another in Brooklyn.

Because when Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant all suit up, the Nets become an overwhelming juggernaut, a group that only a handful of teams have even a shot of slowing down.

The problem? Entering Wednesday's action, the trio had appeared in just 14 games together for a total of 202 minutes. Which is why the victory over the Pacers, while not impressive, was certainly illustrative.

The Nets came out lethargic. They surrendered 73 first-half points to a shorthanded squad on the second half of a back-to-back.

"We didn’t play hard enough. We didn’t show enough respect for the game, get into bodies," coach Steve Nash said after the game.

Yet in the end it didn’t matter. The Nets were able to overcome 24 minutes of poor play with 12 minutes of stellar action, outscoring the Pacers 35-20 in the fourth quarter to overcome a late 17-point third-quarter deficit.

Irving, in his first appearance since last season's Eastern Conference semifinals, dropped 15 of his 22 points in the stretch and had his full repertoire on display. Silky stop-and-pop jumpers. Slithery full-court drives capped with smooth finishes off the glass. Bouncy legs and active hands. He finished 9-for-17 from the field to go with four assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Most importantly, the Nets outscored the Pacers by 16 points in his 32 minutes on the floor.

"He makes the game so much easier for everybody out there," Durant said of Irving after the game. Also, he added, "so much more difficult for the Pacers."

With Irving around, the few riddles that often confound the Nets are suddenly solved. You can find more time for Durant and Harden (second and fourth in minutes per game, respectively) to rest. You have more flexibility to play a defense-first wing such as DeAndre Bembry or a non-shooting big such as Nic Claxton.

Irving also has a bounce and verve to his game that the Nets lacked. That’s what makes the trio of him, Harden and Durant so potent — they’re three elite scorers who boast different strengths and attack defenses in different ways. Durant is the quick-strike shooter, Harden the methodical prober. Irving owns the territory in between, plus there’s all that energy that, when engaged, he can bring to a huddle.

"I just missed his presence around the locker room, his energy around the team," Durant said.

When asked by a reporter how he felt being back on the court, Irving replied, "Just a lot of gratitude to be present tonight with everyone."

But the reunion was the easy part. Now the hard work begins.

The Nets’ next game is Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks in Brooklyn, meaning Irving will be forced to watch from home, and there’s not much for the team’s coaches or players to take from Wednesday's win.

Irving won’t be free to suit up again until Monday in Portland, and assuming all local vaccine mandates remain the same, he’ll be eligible to play only another 20 games after that.

Can you build cohesion if one of your best players is playing part-time? Can teammates develop the chemistry needed to thrive late in the postseason? Can a coaching staff properly prepare and assess its team if it’s constantly evaluating two different groups?

And what happens come playoff time, when every game matters and every action is connected to the one before? And how will Irving’s teammates react to his criticism — which he never has been shy to share — when he’s a part-time player?

For example, when explaining after the game how he thought the Nets were able to turn things around against the Pacers in the second half, Irving said, "I think that’s where we’re going to make our mark, just consistently climbing up into guys and making it difficult. Me, just watching at home, I’ve just seen a lot of teams be somewhat comfortable. And then we come to the bench, and we’re trying to get it going, and we’re playing from behind. I just think us settling in as a team and being honest with one another, it helps."

Irving was also asked after the game whether, having now returned to the court, he could envision a point when he changes his mind about receiving the vaccine.

"Right now, I’m going to take things one day at a time, like I said, and enjoy this time that I get to play with my guys," he said. "However it looks later in the season, then we’ll address it then."

He did leave himself a window there, and it’s safe to assume that the Nets are hopeful that being around his teammates and, at times, on the court will push Irving toward getting vaccinated.

But even if it doesn't, the Nets have made their blueprint clear. It was on full display against the Pacers. Twelve stellar minutes wiping out 24 shoddy ones. Firepower overcoming apathy. Talent winning out.

Yaron Weitzman is an NBA writer for FOX Sports and the author of "Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports." Follow him on Twitter @YaronWeitzman.