Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are proven champions: Durant won multiple rings with the Golden State Warriors, while Kyrie Irving was part of the legendary 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers run, where they came back from a 3-1 deficit to win in the Finals. Needless to say, they should be given the benefit of the doubt before anyone criticizes their abilities.
Recently in a game against the Washington Wizards, Kyrie Irving missed a potential game-winning shot, followed by Durant also missing a potential game-winner off the rebound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi2iOcSWNoU
As the commentator said, both the superstars missed clean looks. While some may overreact and question their ability to make game-winners, others aren’t worried. One of the people who isn’t worried is Skip Bayless, who notably said that he would take Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant over LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Bayless brought up the game winners that the pair have hit before: both Durant and Irving have a history of being clutch.
.@RealSkipBayless on Kyrie & KD missing game-winners:
"All I know is I watched Kyrie in a Game 7 at Oracle against the Warriors win LeBron a ring by making a last shot. In Game 3 in the King's Palace in Cleveland, KD made the shot of shots right in LeBron's grill." https://t.co/FYxOqOMM5T
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) January 5, 2021
Bayless is right: if you can hit those shots over good defenders and on the highest stage, then you have nothing to worry about. Regular season wins don’t necessarily matter in the playoffs: just ask the Milwaukee Bucks about their postseason success.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both proven to be players who are amazing creators in isolation. If there’s anyone on the Nets that is making those shots, it’s those two, and hopefully, we get to see more of their clutch bucket getting as the season goes on.
