Kyrie Irving must bounce back from Game 2

The Cleveland Cavaliers currently face a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors have opened the series with two convincing victories. If the Cavs want to get back in the series, they will need Kyrie Irving to step up.

Kyrie Irving is one of the best players in the NBA. His ability to break down defenders with a dazzling array of dribble moves is unrivaled. He is one of the most versatile scorers in the league. The Cavaliers’ success as a team is often contingent on his play.

In Game 2 of the Finals, that was exactly the problem.

Irving had one of the worst games of his career on Sunday night in the Cavs’ loss to the Warriors. Irving did finish the game with 19 points, which was good for third best on the team. However, he shot 34.8 percent from the field, and had a plus/minus rating of -17.

Kyrie’s net rating, a statistic used to evaluate players’ proficiency on both offense and defense, was -18.8 in Game 2. That was third worst on the entire team, in front of only Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith.

Irving got off to a bad start in Game 2, and never recovered. In the first half, he was 4 of 11 from the field. The Cavs were able to stay in the game despite his ineffective and inefficient play. This was largely due to the efforts of both LeBron James and Kevin Love. James and Love helped the Cavs go into halftime facing only a three-point deficit.

LeBron finished the game with a triple-double, leading the Cavs in points, rebounds and assists. Love scored 27, and shot 52.2 percent from the field. If Kyrie had been able to play to the level of his All-Star teammates, the Cavaliers may have had a better shot at winning the game.

Irving will need to be more efficient in Game 3 and any further games in the series. Kyrie is at his best when he is able to drive to the basket for layups. Driving into the paint often allows him the opportunity to score easy points at the free throw line, something he failed to do in Game 2. Irving only shot two free throws in Game 2.

Room for Optimism

Despite the multitude of negatives in Kyrie’s performance on Sunday, there were a few positives. Irving finished the game with 7 assists compared to only 3 turnovers. He was able to distribute fairly well and took care of the ball. If Kyrie can incorporate his normal scoring numbers and touch alongside this area of his game, the Cavaliers could turn the tide in the series.

As one might expect, his teammates are standing by his side. LeBron James had this to say after Game 2, in a post-game interview with Fox Sports Ohio:

Kyrie himself also spoke with a focus on the future after Game 2:

With that combination of a positive attitude and the reinforcement of his teammates, Kyrie may be able to return to his old self for the rest of the series.

The Cavaliers need that to happen if they have any hope of successfully defending their title.

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