Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving failed to appear for the team's game against the 76ers Thursday night and did not notify head coach Steve Nash of his absence or the reason for it.
Speaking with reporters gathered before the contest, Nash explained that he was informed of Irving's disappearance approximately 30 minutes before the start of pregame warmups and promptly sent the guard a text. While he explained that he had not heard back, the coach said he hoped Irving was well and didn't know the exact reasoning behind the decision.
Watch Nash speak to reporters below (Via Dime)
Steve Nash doesn’t know why Kyrie Irving is out tonight, but he is hoping everything is OK. pic.twitter.com/m0bytoDBne
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) January 8, 2021
Though the Nets have yet to confirm the reason for Irving missing the game, beyond Nash's vague allusion to a “personal matter”, reporting by Brandon Robinson of Heavy.com indicated that Kyrie simply “didn't want to play”.
Kyrie Irving’s reasoning for not playing in tonight’s game per a close source: “I just didn’t want to play.”
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) January 8, 2021
If those reports are true, then the conversation will likely shift to the Nets' potential disciplinary action against Irving for an unexcused absence. With it appearing that the entire organization was caught unaware of Kyrie's disappearance, it is unlikely that it was previously authorized by upper management.
The episode is already the second off-court issue that the Brooklyn-based franchise has encountered regarding their point guard this season. Prior to the start of games in December, the mercurial guard had informed fans and media that he would be boycotting the press in a post on Instagram. Following a fine of $25,000 by the league, along with the threat of further financial penalties, Irving eventually relented and began answering questions during press availability.
Despite operating without their star guard, the Nets appear well on their way to securing a statement victory against the Sixers.
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