As point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving has scored over 20 points in the past 16 straight games, setting a new record.
During a game against the Detroit Pistons on March 14, Irving scored 26 points and tailed six assists in only three quarters.
Irving has had a good month, scoring a career high of 57 points in a game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 12. He also ended games against Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets on March 15 and 18 with multiple assists and rebounds, while still maintaining his streak.
Sophomore Katherine Orefice says, “I don’t really watch sports that often, but the Cavs are really fun to watch because of players like Kyrie Irving. Recently, he’s been just having fun by showing off his talent and it’s hilarious.”
Irving came into the league at only 18. Throughout his career, he has maintained his legend as a scoring threat with incredible shots, crossovers, and finishes at the rim. He has helped the Cavs turn their franchise around, carrying the team on his back for a good amount of time.
Irving, combined with the power and talent of his teammates LeBron James, Kevin Love, and JR Smith, has the ability to further amp up his already great record.
So far, Irving has averaged 30 points per game, 1.4 steals, 5.7 assists, and 3.5 rebounds. Steals are when a defensive player causes a turnover, legally, by stealing the opponent’s ball, and assists are when a player passes the ball to his teammate causing a field goal, which is any basket scored other than a free throw and is usually worth two or three points depending on the distance of the shot. A rebound is when a ball is retrieved by a player when the opposite team misses a shot.
At only 24, he shoots 86 percent at the free throw line, 39 percent at the three point line, and has an overall 45 percent field goal percentage. The percents represent the successful attempts at making the basket in that location in perspective to the total attempts.
Junior Spencer Mochari says, “Kyrie has definitely had an amazing career with the Cavs, and it’s cool because he will probably take over for LeBron in running the team at some point. The Cavs might have their hard moments, but they will always be a top team because of loyal players like Kyrie.”
It is true that Irving has the potential to represent the team in the way James does now in the future. James is now 31, and most players retire in their late 30s, so it is possible he may retire sometime in the next five years. Because Irving has had such a successful career with the Cavs and a great relationship with his fellow teammates, he could easily fill James’ shoes.
Irving’s excellent four years with the Cavs demonstrate how much he dominates the game. He is maintaining a streak while he is having fun on court, a rare sight during such competitive times. As a creative and talented player, where do you think Irving is headed?