Kyrie Irving is known for a variety of things. The skilled offensive dynamo can simply obliterate defenders with his excellent dribbling prowess. The is also a terrific shooter and is arguably the best finisher in the NBA.

That's not to mention that Irving is a clutch scorer, hitting one of the most memorable shots in playoffs history — a go-ahead 3-pointer over the outstretched arms of former unanimous MVP Stephen Curry to deliver the Cleveland Cavaliers' first NBA championship.

However, even the greatest players have flaws. Ever since he was drafted, Irving was labeled as an unwilling and below-average defender. This claim was further exacerbated by his defensive performance on Stephen Curry in the 2017 NBA Finals and in many instances throughout his entire career. Even when he joined the Boston Celtics, Irving could not shake this label.

Being known as a weak defender for all of his career, Irving has started to make up some lost ground, becoming more active defensively this season. In fact, against the Houston Rockets, Irving played phenomenal defense on James Harden and Chris Paul, both of whom are talented NBA offensive players.

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This isn't a fluke by any means. Irving legitimately stayed in front of Harden and successfully went for the steal. He also prevented Paul from restoring the play by switching over to him and denying him an easy look. Irving's reputation as a poor defender could change over the course of this season if he continues to make great plays like this. Hopefully, Irving is well on his way into establishing a two-way game.