Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving had himself a glorious return from injury, posting 21 points in a 108-86 romp over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
The Nets point guard shot a blistering 10-of-11 from the field in just 20 minutes, a blindingly efficient night for a point guard. Of course, he wasn't surprised by it in the least:
“It is not really a surprise for me,” Irving said, according to Sky Sports. “I put in the work and when I do that I feel like the results will come.”
Many were expecting some rust after the summer acquisition missed two months with a shoulder injury that extended well past what the organization first estimated.
Article Continues BelowHis return was exactly the scoring punch the Nets were hoping to get with their star back on the floor, having recently survived a seven-game skid prior to his return. Irving
“Hell of an experience to play in front of these fans again,” Irving said in an oncourt post-game interview. “I really missed the game of basketball. I'm really grateful to be out here. I worked extremely hard to get back. We have got a long season ahead of us and a lot more goals to accomplish. It started tonight and we have got to continue to do it.
“Coming back, having the support from my team-mates and having my family here watching, it is always a great joy. I love the game. I missed it so much.”
The Nets chose to play Kyrie Irving next to Spencer Dinwiddie while bringing Caris LeVert off the bench, a potent lineup which should help them get back in the groove. Brooklyn is back in the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference with an 18-20 record, putting them 5.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers and a half-game ahead of the Orlando Magic.