Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving Makes MVP Case On Opening Night

With a huge third quarter in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ win over the New York Knicks, Kyrie Irving made an MVP case on NBA opening night.

Kyrie Irving came to play on NBA opening night.

The young Cleveland Cavaliers point guard decimated the New York Knicks defense. Between driving in the lane, finishing and shooting from deep, the Knicks never stood a chance against him.

Irving finished with 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range.

He was incredibly efficient from each spot on the floor and asserted himself all night.

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His array of step-back jumpers and killer crossovers went unmatched, but it was his demeanor that set him apart against New York.

LeBron James did most of his damage early in the game. James had 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists by the middle of the second quarter.

That opened the door for Irving to take over in the third, scoring 19 points in the quarter.

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Irving hit shot after shot and left the crowd and thousands of fans in awe.

This performance was more than one part of a dominant win, however.

It was Irving’s coming-out party for his entry into the MVP discussion.

Generally James is the main candidate for the award on his own team, but that could change this year.

Irving had a postseason to remember last year in knocking off the Golden State Warriors. It looks like he’s going to keep the show going through this regular season and more.

Only a handful of players can shoot with unlimited range off the dribble like he did against the Knicks. Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard are the names that quickly come to mind, but after them it’s Irving and that’s it.

Where Irving will need to improve in order to keep himself in the race is with his court vision.

James led the offense for the majority of when he was on the floor, sliding Irving to a pseudo-shooting guard spot.

Irving only had four assists on the night, which is a low total for a star floor general. He’s never averaged more than seven assists per game for a season, so he’s technically more of an off-ball guard.

This is fine because he’s deadly in that role. Irving is as he’s as good of a catch and shoot player as any in the league.

Give Irving enough time and he’ll knock a shot down. Heck, give him just a second and that’s enough time for him to line up his shot and put it in.

He displayed a willingness to take what the defense gave him and take over when necessary. In order for Cleveland to repeat as champions James will need his rest during the regular season.

It’s up to Irving to step up and serve as the team’s primary shooting option in most games.

He did that Tuesday night and then some, giving some reason to believe he has what it takes to compete for the MVP award.

James is the team’s starter and leader as he is the superior passer of the two. But Irving is their ultimate closer and clutch shot maker.

Most valuable players know when their time is on to perform, and Irving doesn’t need to be told when to shoot or how to make a decision.

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This could be the year of Kyrie Irving and his clutch dominance.