Getty Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is defended by Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has made his mark as one of the biggest stars in today’s NBA. But he is still subject to endless lines of comparison, as are so many of the stars in today’s NBA.
That was the case last week when Irving’s former Nets teammate Mike James lit the internet on fire by claiming that the Nets point guard was a more skilled player than Curry. “Kyrie [is] more skilled than Steph. Steph just shoots better. Everything is in Kyrie’s favor skill-wise,” James said on Twitter.
Kyrie did not appear to be all that flattered when he seemed to respond to James’ claim in a recent tweet — or, at least, responded to the comparison obsession in the NBA.
“When will all these comparisons of people and “expert hot takes” cease to exist? Like bruh, just appreciate the person’s greatness and enjoy what you’re experiencing,” Irving tweeted on September 3. “It’s like some people can’t enjoy life without comparing the moment to something or someone else.”
The exchange:
@Eloy98631379 Kyrie more skilled then Steph. Steph just shoot better. Everything is in kyrie favor skill wise. But whatever u say fam.
LOL, when will all these comparisons of people and “expert hot takes” cease to exist? Like bruh, just appreciate the persons greatness and enjoy what you’re experiencing. It’s like some people can’t enjoy life without comparing the moment to something or someone else
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Kyrie Irving Has Some History with Steph Curry
Of course, Kyrie has history with Curry. He has had many iconic moments since being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011. But perhaps the biggest of his career came during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
After trailing 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors in the series, Irving, LeBron James, and the Cavaliers fought back to force a Game 7 on the road against Golden State. With the game being tied in the fourth quarter both the Cavaliers and Warriors had gone several possessions without scoring the basketball.
In the waning moments of the game, Irving hit a go-ahead three right in the face of Warriors guard Stephen Curry which ultimately sealed the victory as the Cavs became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals. LeBron went on to win the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award, but Irving unquestionably hit the biggest shot of the series.
James Harden Talks About Kyrie Irving’s Skill Level
As it pertains to accomplishments, Irving really cannot hold a candle to Curry. He has only won one championship compared to Steph’s three, has never won NBA Most Valuable Player, which Steph has done twice, and has never been first-team All-NBA which Curry has been voted to four times.
However, last year Irving entered rare air as he joined the 50-40-90 club. An accomplishment that is given to players who have shot at least 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line. It is an exclusive club that features just nine players including Curry.
Last year was Nets’ star James Harden’s first year playing alongside Irving and he is already praising him as one of the most skilled players that he has ever played with.
“He’s just one of the most skilled players I’ve ever seen,” Harden said of Irving to Michael Shapiro of Sports Illustrated. “The things he can do with the basketball, the way he can score from anywhere on the court, playing with a guy like him makes my job a lot easier. I can just go out there and be a playmaker and score when they actually need me to score.”
Irving stayed healthy for the majority of the season last year but ultimately succumbed to injury in the Nets’ second-round series with the Milwaukee Bucks. If he can stay healthy in the playoffs and help lead his hometown Nets to their first-ever NBA title, it would close the gap between him and Curry.
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