Here’s the good news: As expected, after missing 26 games with shoulder bursitis, Kyrie Irving is back in the Brooklyn Nets starting lineup tonight.
𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 pic.twitter.com/MfC2WWYZ0o
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 12, 2020
Kyrie will start tonight against the Hawks, Kenny Atkinson said. Irving has started every career game he’s played in the NBA, per @ESPNStatsInfo. His last game off the bench was his final game at Duke, a loss vs Arizona in the NCAA Tournament on March 24, 2011.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 12, 2020
However, anyone hoping for an Irving/Trae Young showdown will be disappointed, Young is out.
Trae Young (left hamstring) will not play against the Nets today, league sources tell ESPN.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 12, 2020
The Nets started the season 4-7 with Irving running the point. The team struggled on offense to adapt to Irving’s isolation heavy, go-at-your-guy-and-score style.
Irving averaged 28.5 points and 7.2 assists a game over the first 11 games of the season, before his injury put him in street clothes.