Tag: Kyrie Irivng

Woj: Nets’ Kevin Durant ‘surprised’ by Kyrie Irving’s trade request

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, everyone in the Brooklyn Nets organization, including Kevin Durant, was surprised by Kyrie Irving’s trade request.

When Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving‘s request for a trade went public on Friday, it appears that the world was taken over by the news and what comes of it. Everything from why Irving requested the trade to where he could go was all over the Twittersphere.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nets superstar Kevin Durant was as surprised as anyone else by the news of Irving’s trade request. It’s essentially common knowledge at this point that Durant and Irving are really good friends if not best friends. With that being said, whatever the relationship between the two superstars, it’s surprising that Durant was surprised by the news.

As a reminder, it has been reported that Irving requested the trade a few days before the trade deadline because he and the Nets were unable to come to terms on a contract extension that worked for both parties. Wojnarowski gave details on “SportsCenter” about how Durant was shocked by the news:

“Teams who are watching what happens with Kyrie Irving are really much more interested in Kevin Durant’s response to this. I’m told that the trade request surprised everyone in Brooklyn today, including Kevin Durant.”

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5 Possible landing spots for Nets G Kyrie Irving before the trade deadline

After Nets G Kyrie Irving’s reported trade request, here are five potential landing spots before next week’s trade deadline.

The Brooklyn Nets are thrust back into the spotlight with the breaking news Friday afternoon that All-Star guard Kyrie Irving has requested a trade before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. This a semi-surprising declaration from Irving since he’s had an excellent season for the surging Nets so far outside the early off-the-court issues.

Before the All-Star break, the Nets will have less than a week to find a suitor for Irving, who is playing the best basketball of his career. There are plenty of rumored teams interested in Irving’s services, so here are five potential landing spots for Uncle Drew next week.

Brooklyn Nets announce Chinese New Year celebration game

The Brooklyn Nets will commemorate the Chinese New Year on Thursday at Barclays Center vs. the Detroit Pistons.

The recent road trip for the Brooklyn Nets finished with an impressive victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The 2-3 record during that span has the team ready to return to the east coast with a division road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on the horizon.

The Nets will return home to Barclays Center this week with a special event for fans. On Thursday, Jan. 26, when the Nets host the Detroit Pistons, they will commemorate the Chinese New Year with various cultural activities throughout the arena to celebrate the year of the rabbit. Players like Ben Simmons are featured in promotions wearing celebratory merch that will be available throughout the night for purchase.

Kyrie Irving is scheduled to welcome the crowd following a special message from Consul General Huang Ping from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York. The celebration will be presented by 華人青年 (WAH YAN CHING NIN), is part of the Nets Unite platform, which seeks to build unity, celebrate culture, and foster equity by amplifying the rich traditions of our diverse community.

“The Brooklyn Nets are excited to work alongside our partners at 華人青年 (WAH YAN CHING NIN) to celebrate Chinese New Year with our fans,” said BSE Global CEO Sam Zussman in a statement. “Our game on Jan. 26 is an opportunity for us to come together and pay homage to the rich history and traditions associated with Chinese culture across the world and in our own community.”

Thursday’s game will begin a three-game homestand featuring matchups with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers.

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Free agency stock watch: Victor Oladipo, Kyrie Irving and more

HoopsHype breaks down three impending NBA free agents whose stock is up and down heading into their free agencies.

With the NBA playoffs in full swing and multiple teams already eliminated, it’s time for another edition of our free agency stock watch series, where we examine the impending free agents whose stock is going up and down.

With six players’ cases to examine, let’s jump right into the action, shall we?

Nets vs. Heat: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

Our prediction and best bet for Saturday’s Nets vs. Heat game, with odds from @Tipico Sportsbook.

The Brooklyn Nets play the Miami Heat on Saturday, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck!

We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds, and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet at Tipico Sportsbook.

The game tips off at 8:00 p.m. EDT and can be seen on NBA TV.

Both teams are coming off a loss in their previous outing. The Heat enter this game on a three-game losing streak and lost 111-103 to the New York Knicks in their last game. The Nets were defeated 132-120 by the Memphis Grizzlies without Ja Morant in the lineup.

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Kyrie Irving to make Nets home debut on Sunday vs. Hornets

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving will reportedly make his home debut against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday after mandate change.

The Brooklyn Nets have remained patient for changes to New York City’s private-sector vaccine mandate to restore Kyrie Irving’s eligibility to play home games at Barclays Center.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Irving will be cleared to play home games on Thursday as a result of changes to the private sector vaccine mandate to enable exceptions for athletes and entertainers.

Charania later reported that Irving will make his home debut on Sunday when the Nets face the Charlotte Hornets. The adjustment to the New York City exemption will be in

The situation with Irving being allowed to sit courtside at Barclays Center without being vaccinated and unmasked while his teammates are playing just a few feet away raised questions about the need for an athletes and entertainers exemption. Also, Irving has been eligible to practice at the Nets practice facility despite not being eligible to participate in home games.

“We’re going to do it in the right way,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday. “We’re going to follow the science. … We’re going to make the right decision. And in New York, no matter what you do, this is 8.8 million people and 30 million opinions, so you’re never going to satisfy New Yorkers, so you must go with the logic, your heart and the science.”

With the start of the MLB season approaching in April, there has been mounting pressure for Mayor Adams. Now, the New York Yankees and Mets will have their unvaccinated players for the start of their season in April along with the Nets having Irving for the playoffs.

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Brooklyn Nets player grades: Nets fall on Dinwiddie’s buzzer-beater

The Brooklyn Nets lost to the Dallas Mavericks as the result of a game-winner from Spencer Dinwiddie.

The Brooklyn Nets came up short in their 113-111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Despite holding a 14-point lead at one point in the fourth quarter, the Nets failed to hold onto their momentum and lost by the result of a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer from Spencer Dinwiddie.

Kyrie Irving was sidelined for this game as he remains ineligible to play in games at Barclays Center. The Mavericks made it a point to double-team Kevin Durant early and often without having to account for another superstar on the floor.

Durant led the Nets with 23 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists despite the Mavericks’ efforts to load up on him to get the ball out of his hands. There were six total double-figure scorers for Brooklyn.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 37 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists while Dinwiddie chipped in 22 points along with the game-winner. Their impact proved to be too much for the Nets to overcome.

Here are the player grades after a heart-breaking loss to the Mavs:

Kyrie Irving says he got into his ‘Kobe bag’ in 60-point outing

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving explained how he got into his ‘Kobe bag’ when scoring 60 points against the Orlando Magic.

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving put together a spectacular performance on Tuesday, scoring a franchise-record 60 points against the Orlando Magic in a blowout win.

In the post-game press conference, Irving admitted that after scoring 41 of his 60 points before halftime, he got into his “Kobe bag” in the second half. It’s not often a historic night is within reach, and Irving looked to take full advantage.

“I don’t usually shoot these type of shots, but I’ma just get in my Kobe bag really quick and live with the results,” Irving said. 

Irving admitted to taking some tough shots in the second half that he “probably” shouldn’t have attempted. Despite that fact, his Nets teammates were more than understanding.

“Somebody told me on the bench what it was, and I’m just grateful it came in the flow of the game. A few shots probably I shouldn’t have taken, tough ones, double teams triple teams coming but as long as I could do it with a smile on my face and my teammates weren’t too angry at me it made this night worth while.”

Irving finished his performance against the Magic, having shot 20-31 from the floor (64.5 percent), 8-12 from beyond the arc (75.0 percent), and 12-13 from the free throw line (92.3 percent) with just one turnover.

Just one night after Karl-Anthony Towns set the NBA’s single-game high for scoring this season with 60 points, Irving matched it. He became the 32nd player in NBA history to reach 60 points in a game and recorded the 78th 60-point game.

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Kendrick Perkins ‘still cool’ with his entire ‘NBA family,’ except Kevin Durant

Kendrick Perkins has taken shots at both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. It seems that may have cost him a friend.

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Based on the comments he’s made about Kyrie Irving over the past year alone, Kendrick Perkins had no problem jeopardizing whatever relationship he had with his old Cleveland Cavaliers teammate.

It appears Perkins’ approach to his job as an NBA analyst may have also cost him his friendship with Kevin Durant. The big man says the two ex-Oklahoma City Thunder teammates no longer have a relationship.

“I’m still cool with all my friends, everybody from the NBA family I still could call, I still go to dinner with, I still hang with, we still good people. They know I got a job to do. Except for one person. That’s Kevin Durant.” Perkins said to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “So guess what? That tells me that I’m doing my job well and I’m staying loyal to my brotherhood. Especially the people that I know. Only sensitive guys get mad because you got to talk about them in the media.”

Perkins also didn’t help himself when he called Durant’s decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors “the weakest move in NBA history.”

“It wasn’t nothing personal I was going at KD about,” Perkins said. “For him to try to come at me on Twitter, basically saying that I shouldn’t be able to talk basketball because I averaged two points, three rebounds. He knows what I brought to that Oklahoma City team. I’m not about to get all the way back and forth with it, but don’t act like I was just out there passing the ball either.”

And when Durant called Perkins a sellout, the center “wanted to go for his neck.” But, as Mannix writes, he couldn’t:

[Perkins] hopped on a Zoom with his people. They reminded him of the date: June 19 — Juneteenth — the date commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. Perkins cooled off. He went on TV the next day. He reminded Durant of Durant’s relationship with his kids. With his wife. Of Mother’s Day, 2011, when Durant and Perkins shared an emotional night on the road. He wiped away tears. It was perceived as sadness. It wasn’t.

“You don’t know how much it burned me up not to say what I wanted to say,” Perkins told Mannix. “I had to take the high road. People thought I was getting teary-eyed because of our relationship. It wasn’t that at all. With everything going on in America, I had to hold back. But after I got through it, I was glad I did.”

Nets have another chance to inch back toward .500 with game vs. Bulls

The Bulls have struggled quite a bit. They’re battling injuries, too. The Nets have momentum and need to take advantage of this opportunity.

The last time the Nets faced the Bulls, Brooklyn was without Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert. It was Brooklyn’s first game without both guards, though LeVert had missed the two games prior, as well. Yet the Nets won in Chicago 117-111.

Of course, the Nets have Irving back with Chicago coming to town on Friday. Same goes for LeVert, but he hasn’t found his stride.

In fact, the only member of the Nets who can’t play due to injury at the moment is Kevin Durant — a very rare occurrence this year. Meanwhile, the Bulls are without Lauri Markkanen for a while (pelvis injury, 4-6 weeks).

As much as they won a nail-biter over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday and Chicago is one spot behind the Nets in the standings, this is a game the Nets should be able to win comfortably — for the simple reason Irving is back and playing well, and impacting guys, like Taurean Prince, in a positive manner.

Add Irving’s play of late to the fact he and Spencer Dinwiddie weren’t named All-Stars this year, and the Bulls could be in for a long night. Zach LaVine was snubbed, too, but giving Irving a little extra juice alone will be too much for Chicago.

RELATED: Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie snubbed in All-Star reserve selections