Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving said on Twitter on Tuesday that the Brooklyn Nets would have won the NBA championship for the 2020-2021 season if he doesn’t get hurt along the way. The series that Irving is referring to is their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series against the Milwaukee Bucks that Brooklyn went on to lose in seven games. The Bucks went on to win the title.
The play in particular that Irving was reacting to was a play in Game 4 of that series in which Irving sprained his right ankle after landing on Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ankle following a drive to the rim. Irving left the game and did not return. To make the injury worse, Irving was unable to come back for any of the following three games to end the series and Brooklyn still had a chance to win the series, but Kevin Durant’s foot was famously on the line during what he thought was a three-point attempt.
This conversation came to light due to the fact that the Bucks (top overall seed in the playoffs) are currently down 3-1 to the Miami Heat (eighth seed in the Eastern Conference) in their first-round series this season. Antetokounmpo suffered a bruised back in Game 1 after falling down during a drive to the basket. He went on to miss Games 2 and 3 and when he came back for Game 4, Milwaukee was already down 2-1. Now, as some Brooklyn fans are seemingly putting it, it looks like the Bucks are getting a taste of their own medicine this time around.
One of the most disappointing and painful moments of career. If I don’t get hurt that series, every single one of us on that Brooklyn team/bandwagon would be Champions.
No f***ing doubt about it.Hélà
🤞🏾♾— Hélà🤞🏾A11Even Tribe (@KyrieIrving) April 25, 2023
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