Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets took on the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in a much-awaited matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Nets, however, had a bevy of players listed as out due to injuries or load management, including Irving's fellow star players Kevin Durant and James Harden, plus Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Tyler Johnson.
So Irving was left to do some heavy lifting against the Sixers. They kept it close but ended up losing by a final score of 123 to 117. After the game, Irving lauded the Sixers defense (via NY Daily News' Kristian Winfield).
Kyrie Irving complimented 76ers' defensive intensity: "They are who they say they are."
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) April 15, 2021
While the Sixers gave up 33 points in the fourth quarter in what was extended garbage time, it was an overall strong performance for Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and company. The Nets, however, could still find consolation as it was a near wire-to-wire game, with all the caveats applying to the fact that they had minimal star power.
Still, Irving is correct that the Sixers' defense is surely their calling card. The team’s 107.0 defensive rating is second in the league behind the glut of talented defenders on the roster, including MVP candidate Embiid, Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, Danny Green, and Dwight Howard.
Embiid continued his brilliant play against the Nets by pouring in 39 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks in 33 minutes of action. Irving, meanwhile, finished with 37 points on 13-of-22 shooting, three boards, and nine dimes.
With the win, the Sixers took over sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference, breaking the tie with the Nets.
This is a presumptive preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, though it must be noted that every major player will be suiting up for the Nets come the NBA Playoffs. Kyrie Irving can heave a sigh of relief.
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