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March 17, 2015Browns reportedly offered No. 19 pick for Sam Bradford
March 17, 2015
It’s a far cry from Dion Waiters being named preseason co-captain of the Triangle All-Stars―read that again and tell me it wasn’t prescient―but another Cavalier is getting some recognition on a Grantland All-Star team. Kyrie Irving is the latest to receive such an honor, as he was named to WFNY favorite Zach Lowe’s Marc Gasol All-Stars, the author’s choices for the season’s most watchable players, named after the Memphis Grizzlies’ big Spaniard.
Lowe admits that, not unlike his boss Bill Simmons, he was lukewarm on Kyrie earlier in the season. He saw him primarily as a one-on-one player―albeit a great one―who lacked the vision and/or inclination to make passes two steps ahead of a defensive rotation like a Ricky Rubio or John Wall. Lowe wasn’t as adamant as Simmons that Kyrie lacked point guard instincts, but he still wanted to see more playmaking from the 22(!) year-old.
Now, Lowe says, “You know what? I don’t care anymore. I was wrong about Irving’s watchability. I was being snobby. This dude is electrifying.”
So rejoice, Cavalier faithful! Another Kyrie hater has come around! The world is seeing the errors of its ways and recognizing the Wine and Gold as its rightful basketballing rulers! Let the apotheosis of Kyrie be one of many grand steps en route to a certain championship!
I jest, but it is nice to see our favourite Aussie1 win over another skeptic, especially one who studies the game as much as Lowe.
A few more selections illustrating Lowe’s relatively newfound appreciation for Kyrie:
He’s not just a secondary attacker. Irving has the freedom to demolish defenses on his own in the right situations. He runs the offense when LeBron rests, and the Cavs let him fly when he brings the ball up in semi-transition against backpedaling defenses. And if he has a favorable one-on-one matchup — which is to say if he has any matchup at all — Cleveland is happy ceding the floor to him.
Irving is shooting 47 percent on isolation plays and generating 1.1 points per possession, according to Synergy Sports. Among players with at least 50 isolation possessions, only Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki have been more efficient going rogue, and there might not be a single player in the league who can stay in front of Irving.
The ability to pull up in that in-between space and hit an off-balance floater — that’s unfair. He shoots from weird places. He launches off of one leg, and sometimes off of the wrong leg. He shoots righty and lefty, uses every inch of the glass on his highlight layups, and can hit shots when he can barely see the rim.
I can’t wait to see this dude in the playoffs.
Us too, Zach. Us too.
- Sorry, Delly. [↩]
5 Comments
In fairness to Lowe and anyone – idjuts! – who once suggested maybe Kyrie should be traded if he refused to sign a long-term deal, he is a different player this year. Whatever changed him, whether it’s having played with stars and Coach K last summer, having LeBron do so much heavy lifting, or just being a year older, no one should have the same regard for him right now than before the season began.
Peeps who now say “I told you so” are just making it up. He could always score but he’s showing way more stuff now, like pace, patience, unselfishness and defense. Oh, and nightly effort, that’s new too. He’s a different player now.
what about people who claimed that he was the real deal from even only his 11 starts at Duke and were adamant that there was no debate about who to take at #1 overall?
I personally prefer Cavs vs. the world instead. Gotta keep this team hungry.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/kyrie-irving-sends-duke-new-shoes-for-ncaa-tournament-160955747.html
sometimes I like checking out those old WFNY comments just to remember the commenters who have passed on or maybe just assumed new identities.