Irving revealed he was inspired by friend Kobe Bryant – who died in a helicopter crash last Sunday – after finishing with an astonishing 82.6 shooting percentage from the field. He was also spurred on by the raucous support inside a sold-out Barclays Center, with chants of “MVP” from the crowd after the 27-year-old made a pair of free throws with just under four minutes remaining. “I’m just happy to be back playing the game I love the most,” Irving said in his on-court interview with YES Network.